


Little Bird

by GoldTitaniumMaiden



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Accidental Baby Acquisition, Age Regression/De-Aging, Baby Damian Wayne, Batfamily Feels, Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, he tries
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-06
Updated: 2020-03-31
Packaged: 2020-10-11 09:33:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 27,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20543951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoldTitaniumMaiden/pseuds/GoldTitaniumMaiden
Summary: “Damian…” Jason hesitated “He’s a baby.” He decided to just come right out with it. No use beating around the bush.“What?” Oracle asked for a re-clarification sure she hadn't heard what she thought she had.“He’s a baby. Fuckin' witch did something to him.”“Oh my god.” Oracle sounded floored but also curious. “Is he cute?”“Right now he’s just loud.”((Damian is De-Aged-- Rated Teen for Jason. XD))





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> AN: I’m not sure if people still read Batman fanfics but I love them especially the the one about our four favorite little Robins. XD Anyway I’ve a few Damian de-aged fanfics and almost always they are unfinished. So I’ve decided to write my own! 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this one. Comment below to let me know. ((LOL stole that from Markiplier XD don’t sue me.))

“I fucking hate witches.” Jason cursed slightly out of breath. He’d been running around Gotham all night chasing this goddamn wack job and he hadn’t even gotten close to apprehending him. The guy didn’t even have the courtesy to be hot like Zatanna or Constantine, so he didn’t even get good eye candy out of it. 

He wasn’t the only one hunting the bastard down either after a week of robberies and a shit load of magical transformations Gordon had gotten real tired real quick and called in Batman and Robin. Red Robin joined in as well. 

Which honestly just pissed Jason off more. This had started as his case and it was a blow to his pride to have Bruce step in. Not that the old man was doing any better. 

“I’ve got him cornered!” Robin’s voice flooded his ear through the com. He sounded about as irritated as Jason felt. 

“Take him out.” Jason spoke back.

At the same time Jason spoke Bruce also ordered “Wait for backup Robin.” 

“I’ve got this.” Damian was already moving ignoring his father preferring Jason’s idea of locking Jack Kalmin down before he could magic himself out of yet another capture. The bats were all feeling the exhaustion now after almost 2 weeks of cat and mouse. The only two lucky enough to not have to deal with Kalmin were Dick, whom was dealing with issues in Bludhaven, and Cass, whom was out of the country in Hong Kong. 

Jason heard Bruce curse. 

“Hood you’re closest to Robins position. I’ll direct you.” Oracle was quick to act reassuring Bruce that Robin would not be fighting alone for long. Though the littlest bird would probably still get an earful about it later. 

Jason thanked the gods that he had his own place to escape to when Damian and Bruce argued. He’d heard from Tim that it was a nightmare to be around either of them after a fight. Although Tim thought it was a nightmare to be around Damian at all period.

He'd almost made it to Damian when he heard a sharp wail. He was thrown off a bit by the sound. This wasn't a part of Gotham normally inhabited by children or at least he hoped that there was not actually a baby around and that he’d just been hearing things. The cry had stopped midway through so it was entirely possible that the lack of sleep was getting to him. 

If only. 

When he turned the corner Hood was greeted by the sight of the Robin Uniform crumpled on the ground. The angry child that normally occupied said uniform was nowhere to be seen on first inspection. Shit. 

The next thing he became aware of was Jack Kalmin. He was backed up against a wall eyes wild looking like a half crazed trapped animal. He had a baby in his arms one of his hands was pressed roughly over the infants mouth and noise muffling the child’s cries. It didn't take a detective to figure out what had happened. The baby still had Robins green mask glued firmly over his eyes. 

“Shut up you stupid baby!” The man screamed shaking Damian roughly. It was all the stupid Robins fault. He’d cornered him, worked him up. He had meant to turn the runt into a baby bird something harmless, easily crushable, but in his uncontrolled state he’d made a mistake. Still, having a baby Robin as a hostage could be his ticket out of Gotham. He was getting real tired of the Batman and his crew. The loot he’d stolen wasn’t worth the fear that came with it.

Jason saw red. 

The magic user didn’t even have time to threaten Robin’s life before a bullet tore through his shoulder at close distance. He cried out in pain and dropped the child. 

Jason was quick; catching his brother in his arms and having to drop his gun to do so. Damian wailed loudly tears running down his red splotchy cheeks. His face had already started to bruise from the tight hold the man had had over his mouth. 

Jason noticed the witch squirming over the ground like a worm trying to get to his fallen gun. 

“No you don’t.” He growled out. He kicked the man in the stomach rolling him over and stomping once on his ribs cage feeling a few of the bones break and once on his face cracking his nose and rendering him unconscious. 

Jason stopped himself from just finishing the man off. They might need him to get Damian back to normal he reminded himself. 

Speaking of. The tiny bundle in his arms was still screaming his head off. He’d stopped only briefly to pull more oxygen into his little lungs just to let it all out again. The kid may be small but he had the loudest cry that Jason had ever heard. 

“Is that a baby?” He could barely hear oracle in his ear. 

“Where is B? We have a small problem here. Emphasis on the small.” 

“He’s on his way." She informed him tersely "He was across town when Robin found the real one.” Kalmin had taken to cloning himself the last two nights in a bid to separate them. There wasn’t much of a way to tell them apart until you hit one of them either the hit landed and you were dealing with the real deal or it broke down into mud. “Is Robin ok? Batman and I haven’t been able to reach him through his comms?”

“He’s…” Jason hesitated “He’s a baby.” He just came right out with it.

“What?”

“He’s a baby. Fucking witch did something to him.”

“Oh my god.” Oracle sounded floored but also curious. “Is he cute?”

“Right now he’s just loud.” Jason was trying to rock Damian. He’d dealt with babies before but of course his brother was being difficult, it wouldn’t really be Damian if he wasn’t a pain in Jason’s ass. 

“You’ll need to get him back to the cave.”

“Yeah I got that part but I can’t really ride my cycle and carry Robin at the same time.”

“I’m sending the Batmobile to you.” Oracle let him know. 

“B isn’t using it?”

“He’s on foot with Red Robin right now. I told him I’m sending it to pick you two up.”

“Did you tell him about our situation?” 

“I told him Robin was alive.” Oracle said and Jason groaned. 

“Well tell them to hurry it up. I’m tying our perp up. I doubt he’ll be waking up anytime soon but just in case.” Jason said. He had Damian balanced on his hip having given up on trying to console the baby and focused on securing Kalmin first once that was done he sat down and waited for their ride. 

Once they were seated he grabbed the yellow Robin cape and hood and used it to swaddle the kid as best he could. It seemed to do the trick as Damian’s cries began to peter out until it was just an occasional sniffle. He used the fabric to wipe his face gently being careful of the bruising.

Damian was so small in his arms. His brother had always been rather tiny even for his age but now he was so breakable. One of his little hands wrapped around Jason’s index finger and he marveled at the minuscule fingers. 

The Batmobile arrived not too long after that and Jason climbed in keeping the baby tucked securely against his chest and letting the autopilot take them back to the cave. 

Alfred was waiting for them probably having been alerted by Oracle of the predicament. The butler’s eyes widened at the sight of Damian holding out his arms for the boy. Jason was glad to hand him over. Damian fussed a little his hand keeping a tight grip on Jason’s finger until Alfred smoothed out the little fist. 

“It seems he has retained his memory of us.” Alfred said softly Jason pretended he didn’t see the man’s eyes watering as he brushed a hand gently through the baby’s dark hair. Alfred requested Jason stay, he would need the man to watch his brother while he made a quick trip to one of the 24 hour stores in Gotham for emergency baby care items. 

Jason obliged only because it was Alfred though the old man did allow him to take a quick shower before he left. 

Thus Jason found himself once again with a baby in his arms. At least he was quiet now. He gently removed the mask from his face making sure not to irritate his skin in fear of more crying. His ears had suffered enough for one night. 

He hated to admit it but his brother was pretty cute. The kid hadn’t smiled once and his face seemed set in a grumpy frown but it was all very Damian. It might have been weirder if he was smiling. 

...

“How old do you think he is?” Oracle was still asking questions in his ear. Jason had opted to put the comm back in after his shower so that he could make sure Bruce got Kalmin and then headed straight back to the cave afterward. 

“I don’t know.” Jason replied for the millionth time. Sure he had more experience around babies then say Tim but that didn’t mean he knew jack shit about a lot of things. “He’s small. Really small.” Was all he could say. 

“Hold him up to a camera so I can see him?” 

“No.”

“Why not?” Oracle sounded like she was pouting. 

“Because I don’t want him to cry again. Is Bruce almost done.”

“He’s waiting for an ambulance for Kalmin. He’s not happy that you messed him up as bad as you did.” 

“Yeah well he didn’t see the fucker almost suffocating a baby.” 

“Fair enough; I’m just giving you a heads up.” 

“I’m only staying long enough to help out Al.” Jason told her. “But thanks for the warning.” He could never be too harsh on Babs. She was the best of them. Better than even Dick Grayson the golden boy. 

He grinned down at the baby. “Dick is going to be so jealous he missed you when you were so tiny and cute.” He didn’t really know how long the spell would last but it would serve Dick right if he wasn’t able to see this. They all joked calling Damian Grayson’s baby but he knew it wasn’t much of a joke. The first Robin was probably more of a dad to Damian than Bruce was at this point. Not that that surprised Jason. 

“If I knew how to take care of you I wouldn’t have even brought you here. That stupid old man is going to fuck this all up. He couldn’t even handle us when we were preteens let alone you as a baby.” 

“I think he might surprise you Master Jason.” Alfred interrupted. Jason to his credit didn’t even flinch though his heart rate skyrocketed. 

He turned his head to look at the old man. He had a onesie folded over one arm, a bottle of formula, and a diaper bag. 

He made his way over to the operating table and set the diaper bag on the edge. He pulled from within it a blanket and placed it over the cold plastic. Jason stood up and made his way over carefully unwrapping Damian from his Robin cape. He hadn’t really thought about diapers. The baby in his arms was naked except for the material wrapped around him. It was a miracle he hadn’t been peed on. 

“Good boy.” He whispered. 

“He’s not a dog Master Jason.” 

“He’s too grumpy to be a dog, even as a baby he’s frowning. Maybe it the Wayne genes.” 

Alfred shook his head at his second grandchild and lifted the baby out of his arm and placing him onto the blanket. As soon as he was set down Damian began to fuss. He kicked his feet and attempted to roll onto his stomach. Alfred wrangled the baby back onto his back which definitely did not help his mood. He began to cry. It wasn’t the loud piercing wail from earlier, thankfully. 

Once the diaper was strapped on tight he lifted Damian onto his feet. The baby wobbled a bit grabbing onto Alfred’s shoulder for balance. 

Jason was embarrassed to say he flinched forward when his brother wobbled hands coming up to catch him but he shouldn’t have worried. Alfred hid his smile at the protective movement as he readied the onesie. Damian was much happier standing than he was lying down. It was easier for Alfred to get his legs into the clothing and then sat him on his bottom to maneuver his chubby little arms into each sleeve. 

The pajamas were footies decorated with little dinosaurs. 

The cave alerted them to approaching vehicles. Jason groaned he’d been so fascinated watching Alfred dress his little brother when he should have been getting the hell out of here. The older man lifted the baby into his arms and put one hand on Jason’s shoulder. “They’ll be no yelling tonight not in front of the little one.” it was Alfred’s assurance that he wasn’t going to let Bruce tear into Jason. Or at least stop him if he did. 

...

Bruce was riding Red Robin’s cycle while Tim was one Jason’s bike. Tim insisted as much knowing Jason wouldn’t appreciate Batman bringing in his bike. That was if Jay was still even around which Tim highly doubted. 

He was sure Babs would have warned the older man of Bruce’s foul mood. Kalmin was in bad shape when they’d reached him still unconscious and losing blood from a shoulder wound. Not to mention the boot print on his face. Overkill. Expected from Red Hood. Especially if Robin had been injured. The second eldest tried to pretend he didn’t give a shit about this family but Tim had seen him worry about Damian and even Dick on occasion. 

He hoped Damian wasn’t too badly injured. Oracle had assured them that the boy was ok, but when she’d alerted Bruce that Jason needed the Batmobile to get Robin home it didn’t seem like a good sign. 

Still he could say for sure that the last thing he expected when dismounting Jason’s bike was to see Alfred waiting for them with a baby in his arms. 

He stared. “Ummm… Am I seeing things?” He asked uncertain. Jason was still here as well but he was acting as though there wasn’t a baby currently in their butler’s arms so perhaps it was just Tim. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d hallucinated because of lack of sleep or food. 

“If you are then I’m having the same hallucination.” Bruce gruffed from beside him. “Why is there a baby here Alfred?”

“This is young master Damian.” Alfred replied turning the child in his arms to face Bruce who stopped mid step eyes wide as he took in the information. The baby’s face was only clear for a moment before he was turning away from them to hide in the crook of Alfred’s neck. 

Tim sputtered for a moment, but upon further thought he supposed it was possible. They were facing an adversary that had changed a few police officers into actual pigs. Dick would have said it was uncreative. With that in mind, a baby wasn’t out of the range of possibilities. But Why? He voiced this question out loud. 

“Why would Kalmin change Damian into a baby of all things?” 

Jason shrugged “He was like this when I got there. You’d have to ask him.” 

Bruce was pushed out of his shock at Jason’s words and his eyes narrowed. “I might have been able to do so if he hadn’t been nearly dead when we arrived.” 

“I showed serious restraint tonight.” Jason defended. “He could have been dead dead instead of nearly dead.” 

“How are we supposed to fix _this_? What if he doesn’t wake up.” Bruce thundered gesturing at Damian.

“_This!_ This is your son, try to show a little compassion if you’re capable of that.” 

“I know he’s my son--” Bruce took a step forward ready for an argument. 

“Enough.” Alfred’s voice was loud but not raised. It stopped both Jason and Bruce who seemed about to start yelling. “What’s done is done. I’ll not have you yelling at each other; especially around him.” He said nodding toward Damian who was quivering. Bruce instantly deflated. He looked a bit lost before switching directions moving toward Damian and Alfred instead of Jason. The baby took one look at him and whimpered. Bruce paused. 

Tim though he might actually look hurt. 

Alfred’s eyes softened minutely. “I think it’s the cowl Master Bruce. Perhaps you should change first. You as well Master Timothy.” 

“Right.” Tim and Bruce settled into the normal routine. Each of them getting cleaned up. Tim was the first one done. He inched closer to Alfred and Damian but was nervous to fully approach. 

Jason rolled his eyes. “He’s not going to hurt you.” 

“I’m afraid he’ll scream.” Tim said looking apprehensive as Alfred drew closer to him. 

“Nonsense.” Alfred had just started to bottle feed Damian. 

“This is so weird.” Tim said as he stared down at baby Damian who was sucking away at the rubber nipple. “How old is he?”

“From what I can tell based on his teeth and size. 9 months.” Alfred replied. 

Tim reached a finger out to touch his chubby cheek unable to help himself. Damian let go of the bottle and bit him hard. Tim yelped pulling his finger away and cradling it. The little demon spawn had already latched back onto the bottle. 

“What the hell!”

Jason roared with laughter. 

“Of course. He hates me even as a baby.” 

“I’m sure that’s not true.” Bruce said as he towel dried his hair. 

“He bit me Bruce!” Tim whined. 

“It couldn’t have hurt that bad.”

“That’s not the point.” Tim pouted shooting a glare at the baby. 

Bruce wasn’t paying attention anymore all his focus was on the little bundle in Alfred’s arms. He was nervous walking up hoping Damian would not be scared of him this time. The little boy didn’t protest again he looked up at Bruce with piercing emerald orbs as he continued to drink down the formula. Bruce reached out instantly wanting to hold his youngest. It was hard to believe the baby was Damian. He looked like his son; all tan skin and dark thick hair. But he was so small Bruce’s arms seemed to engulf the infant. 

He had no idea how they were going to handle this little complication and yet he found himself hoping that this might last a little longer. Every minute that slid by as he took in his baby boy and all he could think was just one minute longer don't let the spell break yet, not yet.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Thank you so much for the reviews it means so much to me to know that you guys like this story. It's my first purely original fanfic normally I stick to characters watch writing. But I wanted to branch out and do a story line that was all my own. 
> 
> I am going to try and update this fanfic frequently at least once a week if not more unless I get crazy busy which hopeful won't happen very often. Seriously I wish AO3 could be like Youtube in that I could get paid for writing once I get enough readers. There'd be a lot less abandoned works lol. But alas it is not to be. 
> 
> ANYWAY, back on topic. 
> 
> I will try and answer all the comments I receive because I like to let you guys know individually how much your reviews mean to me by taking those couple minutes posting a reply and answering any questions you may have. 
> 
> Lastly, stay tuned at the end of this chapter I have a BIG QUESTION for you guys as readers!!

Tim was leaning over the coffee pot his mug cradled in one hand he’d gulp down half the cup and then proceed to fill the it back up and repeat the process, until Alfred shooed him away with an unimpressed look. Tim had the decency to look slightly sheepish as he scooted his way back to the table before Al used extreme force to get him out of the butler's well maintained kitchen. 

Bruce and Damian weren’t far behind Alfred in making their way to the dining room. Tim actually winced in sympathy. They looked miserable. Damian was not crying; much to Tim’s relief, he did not need that this early in the morning. But the little boy certainly looked angry. It was like he was glaring up at Bruce who in turn looked completely run down. He wondered if the man had gotten any sleep at all. It didn't look like it. 

The second Damian caught sight of Tim he was reaching for him struggling against his fathers hold on him. 

Tim looked taken aback. He edged back when B started coming toward him. He shook his head and Bruce actually gave him a pleading look. Tim had the urge to say 'no' because he was sure Batman would actually resort to begging if he did. 

The world might have ended. 

So he reluctantly let the man hand his littlest son over to his 2nd youngest. Tim didn’t really know how to hold a baby, but Damian figured that out for him, squirming on his lap until he was scrunched against Tim’s chest. 

“What did you do to him that he’d rather be with me of all people?” Tim questioned. 

“I didn’t do anything. He’s been crying most of the night.” Bruce grumbled his forehead pressed to the tabletop. Damian shifted again and used Tim’s shoulder to pull himself up into a standing position facing Tim. He put his hands on the infant stabilizing him. The little brat pulled his hair and grabbed at his nose and lips yanking with a surprisingly strong grip. His tiny fingernails were sharp against his skin and Tim kept pulling away trying to move him so that he would stop but each time he did that Damian would begin to make annoyed angry noises. 

“Bruce your baby is mean.” Tim huffed as Damian proceeded to try and bite the arm securing him down and away from the teenagers face. 

Bruce didn’t answer and Tim realized the old man had fallen asleep at the table. The billionaire jerked awake when Jason swung the door open his second eldest's eyes were only half open and he was reaching behind him to scratch his back as he yawned. Jay was less of a coffeeholic than Tim and Bruce, but Alfred the angel that he was already had a steaming cup waiting for him on the table. He was surprised Tim hadn't stolen it. But it made more sense when he actually looked at the genius struggling with baby bat. 

His eyes met Damian’s wide curious green ones. “I thought that was a dream.” 

“Unfortunately not.” Bruce grumped. 

Jason didn’t wait for the baby to ask for him, scooping him out of Tim’s arms. Tim slumped back into his chair. “Thank you.” He looked utterly relieved. Jason looked back and forth from Bruce to Tim and rolled his eyes. 

“It hasn’t even been a full 24 hours.” he said incredulously. 

“You try to get him to sleep tonight then.” Bruce challenged. 

“Is he still going to be a baby tonight?”

“I was going to ask that as well.” Alfred asked as he served them all plates of scrambled eggs. He also had a bowl of pureed baby food. “If so, a crib will be necessary. Rooms will have to be baby proofed and we’ll need to invest in some toys, pacifiers, formula.” The list continued on and Bruce looked lost. 

“I’m going to contact Zatanna right after breakfast. She might be able to get him back to normal today.” Bruce almost sounded hopeful. He knew being a parent was difficult but he wondered if any other baby was as difficult as Damian. He felt guilty for missing the independent 10 year old that didn’t cry. 

What kind of father did that make him? 

“Are you going to tell Dick?” Tim asked 

“He’s busy in Bludhaven, I don’t want to distract him if this is easily fixable.” Bruce said with a deep sigh at the thought of his oldest. Dick could be... excitable. The mere thought exhausted him more than he already was which didn't seem physically possible. 

Jason and Tim shared a look both of them knowing how angry the first Robin would be if Bruce kept this from him. 

Jason handed Damian back to Bruce who traded off eating his own food and trying to spoon the mush into the infant's mouth. Of course the boy was not having it. Anytime he got the spoon close to Damian’s mouth he would immediately turn his head away. He turned his nose up at the food. 

“Come on, it’s Alfred’s food, you'll love it.” 

Damian just narrowed his eyes at Bruce. He sighed and set the spoon down grabbing his own fork and taking a bite of eggs. That was when Damian yelled. 

The three of them winced looking at the little one. He was secured to Bruce with one of his arms around the child's middle, he struggled against the strong hold reaching a hand up toward Bruce’s fork trying to grab the scrambled eggs that his father was about to eat. 

“You have your own food.” He told Damian taking his bite and trying to get the baby to eat the mush set out for him. Which resulted in an angry cry. “Please, Damian.” 

“I mean he has a few teeth.” Tim spoke up, he'd been bitten enough to know that he had 4 or 5. “Would it hurt to give him eggs?”

“I don’t know.” He didn’t seem to have answers to anything about babies. When it became clear to Damian that he was not getting the food he wanted, he started to sob.

Three heads simultaneously hit the table with matching groans. 

…

Zatanna wasn’t sure she’d ever heard Bruce sound so… well not quite desperate, but almost, when requesting her help. 

“I’m on Watchtower duty with J’onn but I might be able to slip away. It’s pretty quiet.” She said looking over at the martian who was surely listening in. Zatanna didn’t find the need for secrecy on this call. “He’s nodding at me.” She told Bruce.

“I’ve given you temporary access to the caves through the Zeta tubes.”

“Only temporary?” Zatanna pouted even though she knew the dark knight couldn’t see her. He didn’t answer and she could practically see the dry look on his face. “Kidding. See you soon.” She didn’t wait for him to reply before closing the communicator. 

“Is everything alright?” J’onn was one of the few who knew Batman’s civilian identity and she knew Bruce trusted the martian. 

“Yeah, I think so. It wasn’t his life threatening voice, though he did seem a bit on edge.” She caught sight of Manhunter’s thoughtful look “I’m sure if it was anything serious he’d do more than call me.” 

“Be safe.” 

“I won’t be long J’onn.” With a wink she was gone. 

…

Bruce was pacing, he had Damian in his arms and the movement was the only thing keeping him from crying. He didn’t know what he was doing wrong but his boy just did not want to sleep. The only one who’d been able to get him to rest had been Alfred but the old butler couldn’t hold a 19 pound baby all day and Bruce would never make him. He could soothe his own son. Except he’d been at this all morning and nothing was working. 

Jason and Tim hadn’t been much help either. His 2nd eldest was hanging around not offering help but laughing at everything he did wrong. 

“Are you just going to sit there and watch all day long?” 

“Just making sure you don’t get frustrated and shake him.” 

Bruce looked affronted at the very suggestion. “You- damn it Jason I would never hurt any of my children.” 

“I've had a few black eyes that says different. I’m sure Tim and Dick have too.” Jason bit out crossing his arms. 

He opened his mouth to reply... Jason waited patiently eyebrows raised. He found he couldn’t say anything. 

Bruce looked down at Damian who had his face pressed into his shirt and he put a gentle hand on his head stroking his hair. Jason’s words rang true in his ears. He’d never imagine -looking down at Damian, and thinking back about the happy ridiculous little kids that Dick, Jason, and Tim used to be- that he could ever lay his hands on them in violence. 

But he had. 

And he couldn’t take it back. 

“Jason-”

“Don’t. Don’t say it because I know you won’t mean it.”

The Zeta beam lit up announcing Zatanna incoming. It couldn’t have been worse timing. He looked at Jason who just shook his head waving him away. 

“More important things to deal with.” 

“You’re important too Jason.” Bruce told him. 

Zatanna stepped out into the cave a second later. “Hey Bru-- is that a baby?” She tilted her head looking at the child. “If you asked me here because I’m woman…”

“Don’t be ridiculous. We’ve been dealing with a meta-human with magical abilities.” Bruce explained “We caught him” A side eye thrown at Jason but after the earlier conversation there was no real anger to it. “But he managed to turn Robin into a baby.” 

“Oh my god. That’s robin!” She looked a little too gleeful. Bruce looked disapproving and she smiled sheepishly in return. “Right. Let’s see what I can do.” 

Damian hated Zatanna. She’d only just started whatever it was she needed to do, both herself and the baby seemed to glow with a blue light, when the little boy started to scream. Whether the magic hurt or he was just frightened Bruce didn’t know, but he had to let Zatanna work. It might be the only way to get Damian back to normal. Still, it made him feel like an awful father.

His baby just kept screaming and sobbing his back arched and breath hiccuping from the effort it was taking to cry as hard as he was and his little green eyes were staring up at Bruce as if begging him to stop this. It was the worst five minutes of the man's life. 

“I think my ears are bleeding.” Tim rubbed at his temples having descended into the cave three minutes into Damian's torture. “Please tell me you can fix him.” He was not above begging Zatanna. She looked apologetic and Tim sighed. Why couldn’t these things ever be easy? 

“The man who did this, you said he was a meta right? His magic is of another caliber, not as good as mine, but different enough. If I tried to force Damian back to himself I might cause more damage.” Bruce didn’t look very pleased. “The spell he used might not be permanent, any other instances of transformation?” She tried to offer him at least a little bit of hope. 

“A few police officers, but as far as I know there’s been no change. They’re still pigs.” 

“Pigs, really? This guy has no class.” Zatanna wrinkled her nose. “Sorry Bruce. You might have to go Batman on this man and force him to break his own spell.” 

“He’s unconscious.” 

“Ah.” Her eyes flickered over to Jason, who wanted to punch her for assuming it was his fault, as if Bruce hadn’t ever punched a criminal into unconsciousness before. Not too mention that he was already upset after Damian’s meltdown. “I guess you might want to stock up on some baby things then... Good luck.” Zatanna was normally more than happy to stick around and chat with Bruce when they had the time, but after all the screaming she was happy to get back to the watchtower for some quiet time with J’onn. That and Jason’s glaring was making her nervous. 

Bruce looked down at Damian who was drinking formula from a bottle he’d gotten from Alfred as soon as Zatanna had been done with her magic. He still looked a mess but for the moment he was content. 

“Miss Zatanna is quite correct. We are going to need to stock up on baby items. I believe your old crib is still in the attic. Master Tim if you would fetch it for me. Master Jason I’m going to need your assistance at the store.” 

Jason and Tim both nodded and headed up. 

“Wait you’re leaving me here?” Bruce asked looking horrified. 

“You’ll be fine Master Bruce. You should cherish this time with him, as difficult as master Damian may seem he will never be this small again.” 

…

Alfred and Jason leaving was difficult. Damian didn’t seem to like watching anyone leave. Bruce tried to maneuver the bottle back into his son’s mouth, but Damian turned his head away and reached for the door of the manor as he cried. The billionaire sighed watching the car vanish from sight. He wondered if all babies cried this much or if it was just something he was doing wrong. He hoped it was the former he hated to think that he was accidentally causing his son pain. 

As much as he hated Talia for everything she’d done to both himself and her own son he almost wanted to call her and ask if Damian had been this way when she had raised him. But he knew it would be a bad idea to let her know about the situation. 

He wouldn’t put it past Ra’s to try something. 

Bruce hefted Damian higher up in his arms rubbing his hand gently along the baby’s back; up and down, up and down. Both settled together on the recliner in the rec room. He was happy now that Dick had invested in a few Disney movies. His oldest had bought them for his youngest though he was unsure if Damian had ever watched them. It was hard to think of his 10 year old sitting on the couch and partaking in a Disney musical to pass time. He always acted so grown up. Everything he did had a purpose whether it was training or education any activity was to meet those ends. 

The only fun thing he’d ever seen Damian do was get ice cream and even then he’d stuck with plain vanilla. He remembered this because Dick had been with them, it had been his idea, and he’d loaded up his bowl with gummy worms, sprinkles, m&ms, and whipped cream. Bruce remembered Dick convincing Damian to eat one gummy worm and the boy had actually gotten up to spit it in the trash after the first bite. It was one of his fonder memories. 

Neither he nor Damian really watched the movie as it played in the background Bruce was lost in his thoughts and the baby was back to sucking on his bottle. 

He looked at his son and wondered how different he’d be if Bruce would’ve raised him. Away from the violence of the league and Ras. He could count on one hand how many times he’d heard his 10 year old laugh or smile as children should. 

He felt guilty even considering the option. It would be like taking away the life his son had already built for himself. And during the limited time he’d had with Damian he’d seen him grow _so_ much. In fact, his death had probably been the best thing that could have happened for Damian. As much as he missed being there during that time he knew he couldn’t have done a better job of raising his son than Dick Grayson had. What right did he have to steal those precious memories from his child? 

“It’s going to be okay. I’m going to do everything I can to get you back.” He promised softly.

…

“I’m sending this to Dick.” Tim grinned phone out. Damian was fast asleep on his tummy his little butt sticking up in the air and his cheek flattened against Bruce’s chest. His father was passed out as well a protective arm gently keeping hold of of the baby even in his sleep. 

It was a cute moment. Alfred ushered them all out. It was best to let the two sleep. It had been a difficult day so far for both father and child. 

“I’m heading out Alfred.” Jason informed him. 

“Don't be a stranger.” Alfred requested. 

“I won’t be gone too long.” Jason assured him and the tenseness within the old man seemed to soften. He knew he couldn’t keep the boys around forever but he liked seeing them; knowing that they weren’t out there starving or dying far from his helping hands was sometimes too much for his old heart to bare. “After all this is prime blackmail material to use against the little demon when he’s back to normal.” 

“I would expect nothing less.” 

“Later Alf, Replacement.” He called back waving his hand as he headed toward the cave to grab his bike. 

…

Alfred was a god send; Bruce thought this at least 4 or 5 times a day but he never appreciated it more than at this moment. He’d probably have accidentally killed his poor infant son without him. 

He certainly had a new respect for people without super efficient butlers in their lives. 

“Master Bruce are you paying attention?”

“Uh… yes.” 

“I’m only going to show you this once.” Alfred reminded him. Bruce knew the man wasn’t joking either if he didn’t learn this now Alfred would definitely let him struggle trying to figure it out for himself later. 

Damian was ignoring them both concentrated on figuring out this odd little toy Alfred had handed over when they’d started the diaper change. He shook it a few times listening to the rattle and pulling at the plastic before bringing it to his mouth to bite down on as if his teeth could solve the problem.

It was amusing to see him so invested in something so simple. But he forced his eyes away and back to the matter at hand. Alfred had already tossed the diaper and was wiping everything clean. 

“You’re going to show this to Tim as well right?”

“Master Bruce-”

“Just in case.” Bruce interjected he wouldn’t actually pawn his youngest son off on his second youngest… all the time. Alfred did not look impressed but he acquiesced. Good. At least Tim would have to suffer with him. 

“Why don’t you pick out a onesie for him.” Alfred suggested as he pulled Damian up into a sitting position.

He was surprised by how official the nursery looked as though it had been here this entire time waiting for a little boy to occupy it. The dresser was lined with folded colorful onesies. He held up a batman one and raised an eyebrow at Alfred. 

“Jason particularly enjoyed picking out clothes.” Was the answer he received in response.

“I’m surprised it’s not loaded with Wonder Woman memorabilia.” He knew for a fact that the amazonian woman was his son’s favorite of the Justice League members. 

“He tried, but it was mostly girl clothes and I found it necessary to protect Master Damian from tutus and dresses.” 

“I’m sure he’d thank you if he was able.” Bruce handed Alfred the batman onesie. The Fabric was a medium gray with the bat symbol on the chest and a yellow utility belt printed around the middle. And once they’d gotten Damian into it Alfred pulled up the hood with bat ears like his cowl. He had to admit his son looked pretty cute in it. 

...

Alfred called them all down for dinner and Bruce was in a much better mood for this meal than he had for the other two. Damian too looked a million times better than he had since they’d woken up that morning. He still hadn’t smiled but he was babbling at Bruce and kept trying to shove his fingers into his father’s mouth. 

Tim was waiting for them in the dining room. A gray high chair was set up next to Bruce’s chair. He at least knew how this was supposed to work as he maneuvered his sons kicking legs into the holes and sat him down on his butt. 

Tim took one look at Damian in his batman outfit and snorted. “Figures.” 

“Jason got a Red Robin one too.” Bruce informed him. 

“Oh yeah I’m sure Damian would love to see a picture of that when he’s back to normal.”

“I don’t think he hates you as much as you think he does.” Bruce mused pulling out his phone using the time that he had both his hands to himself to check in on WE. 

“Riiight.” Tim was not convinced. 

Damian didn’t like sitting, he looked from Tim to his father and back again. Neither one of them were paying any attention to him anymore. He let out a string of babble but Bruce hardly looked up from his phone. The little boy frowned hard at that and began pulling his legs out of the little holes and used the tray to pull himself to his feet. He had one leg over the side of the high chair when Tim let out a cry and lunged for him. 

Thank god for his training Tim thought from his spot on the floor his little brother safely in his arms. Bruce was staring at the two of them with wide terrified eyes. It might have been funny if Red hadn’t just had a near heart attack.

Damian didn’t seem to realize what a near miss he’d just had as he waved his arms at Tim grabbing at the buttons on his shirt. He pulled the baby forcefully to his chest not caring about the angry protests he got. 

“You’re ok.” Tim murmured softly repeating it a few more times to reassure himself as much as Damian. “He’s ok.” He added louder for Bruce’s benefit. The man seemed to let out a breath of relief. Tim took a closer look at the high chair and frowned at the man. “There’s a reason this has buckles B.” 

“I didn’t think he could walk yet, let alone climb out of a chair on his own.” Bruce was talking more to himself than to Tim. They buckled the baby into the chair the second time around and Bruce’s phone lay forgotten. Whatever had been so important a few minutes ago no longer felt that way. He paid close attention to his children. 

Damian actually ate his baby food this time around letting Bruce spoon mashed carrots into his mouth, although he didn’t know how much actually made it to the boys stomach as he seemed to spit it all back out again and let it fall down his chin in big messy globs. His batman onesie was only saved because of Alfred’s knowledge of baby bibs. The butler had also let Bruce know that Damian had enough teeth that he could give his son small bites of food from his own plate. Which was good because whatever Tim and Bruce were eating Damian wanted to eat holding out his hands requesting food from both of them. 

…

“So…” Tim finally got the courage to broach the topic he’d been most curious about. “With Damian as.. Well.. y’know. Are you benching Batman?” 

“No.” Bruce replied shortly. He’d thought about it but even with a baby around or maybe more so _because_ he had a baby around he felt the need to keep up his nightly activities. How could he stop now when he felt he had so much more to protect? 

He’d said as much to Alfred and was lucky the old man had given him the go ahead. Though he was a bit sad to miss bath time; the thought of Damian in the tub surrounded by Justice League themed ducks just seemed adorable. He shook his head. He couldn’t spend his night thinking about Damian. He couldn’t afford to be distracted. Perhaps it made him a bad father; or maybe he’d never been a good one to begin with but Batman had to continue on, no matter the circumstances.

It was a cold hard truth, but that was the world Bruce chose to live in. 

He could see Tim’s judgement in his eyes but he’d never tired to hide who he was from them. Tim should be well aware of his priorities. 

…

_ **‘I'm like a ringleader, I call the shots (I call the shots)  
I'm like a firecracker, I make it hot when I put on a show’** _

Jason groaned rolling over in his bed toward where his phone was plugged in. His eyelids were heavy and his vision was fuzzy. His hand hit the side of his phone and it fell onto the ground. 

“Fuck.”

** _’All the eyes on me  
In the center of the ring, just like a circus  
When I crack that whip  
Everybody gonna trip, just like a circus’ _ **

Jason finally got his hand around the device and jabbed harshly at answer button. “Dick what the fuck. It’s--” He glanced at the clock and groaned “3:45 am.” He’d gotten in from patrol less than an hour ago.

“Did you know!?” 

“Know what? What part of 3:45 am don’t you get.” 

“Is Damian really a baby or is Tim fucking with me??” 

“Why not call him instead?” Jason supplied as if it were obvious.

“I tried. He’s not answering.” Jason was laying on his back one arm holding the phone to his ear and he was starting to fall back to sleep. “JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY” Dick whined loudly in his ear.

“God! Yes, it’s true. Yes, he’s cute. Don’t call back.” He said growling the last bit out in a threatening way. He swiped the screen to end the call. Damn, he missed his old phone it was much more satisfying to hang up on someone with a flip phone than a touch screen. 

He closed his eyes a smirk on his face as he fell back to sleep. The last thought in his mind was that he hoped Bruce got a nasty wake up call of Dick banging on his door at shit o’ clock in the morning. Would serve the bastard right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BIG QUESTION TIME!!!!
> 
> Don't worry if you're reading this in the future I'm not going to make a final decision for a while because I've got more story before I even think about how this is going to go. But I want to see kind of what you guys would want and take than into consideration. 
> 
> Ok So! I have to options for this fanfic. 
> 
> Option 1-- Damian does get transformed back to his 10 year old self and life goes on with some teasing from his brothers and fond memories all around. 
> 
> OR
> 
> Option 2-- Damian is not able to get turned back and the Batfamily get's to raise little Damian. This option would lead to a longer fanfiction as I would go into other stages of his life. HOWEVER; I don't want to completely alter his personality I think even being raised Bruce he'd still end up with a similar personality maybe a bit less jaded and able to rely more on his family but still be the same little shit we know and love. 
> 
> So that's my question to you guys. Option 1 or Option 2?? 
> 
> Review and let me know!!!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter in such a short amount of time. I can't believe I'm writing these so fast. This has seriously been the easiest fanfic for me to write. It's like I've got all these ideas flowing and it's awesome. 
> 
> Also you're reviews really help motivate me!! You guys are awesome. 
> 
> I am going to start to get into some angst. I'm thinking someone attacks the party. I also would like to get Talia and Ra's in here. Just a heads up I think Talia is a horrible mother and if I do bring her in don't expect her to be a good guy. No way. for me there's no way to humanize Talia especially after she killed him in the comics. So if you're a Talia love I'm sorry. You probably won't like her in my fic. 
> 
> I also really want to Justice League to meet baby Damian. Because that would just be funny and I can see Bruce being a protective Papa Bear. 
> 
> Also got another BIG QUESTION for you guys at the end of the chapter. :D

Bruce’s eyes narrowed and he glanced over at the baby monitor. He was still in the cave having already sent Tim to bed for the night, Alfred had delivered his usual dinner and the monitor for Damian so that he could retire to his room himself. 

All was quiet for the first hour but he’d heard some moving around in Damian’s room and listened closely hoping it wasn’t his son waking up. 

“Ba da Baga Ay” Damian began to babble but he wasn’t crying... still it seemed only a matter of time. He sighed looking at the computer and thinking about how much he wanted to stay and finish up. Having a baby in the house was difficult.

“Aren’t you just super cute.” A second voice sounded and Bruce’s eyes jumped to the monitor. He knew who it was so he wasn’t worried but he certainly hadn’t been expecting him. Now he could identify the sound he’d heard earlier it had been Dick coming in through the window of Damian’s nursery.

He picked up the monitor flicking the switch that let him talk to his eldest.

“We have door Dick.” 

There wasn’t an immediate reply but he heard his oldest sigh. “Yes, but I didn’t want to talk.” The _ ‘to you’_ was implied. Bruce sighed. 

“Who told you?”

“You should have.” Dick snapped but then almost immediately cooed at Damian. 

“You were busy, this isn’t the end of the world. It’s not like he’s dying.” 

“He’s a baby Bruce! You can’t tell me you haven’t held him and snuggled him. This is probably never going to happen again and dammit I deserve to see it.” 

“You’re not his father.” He could hear Dick shuffle around, whispering something soft to the baby. Then the sound of a door closing. 

“Bullshit!” Dick suddenly hissed. “I have put more time and effort into that boy than you ever have. Do you know what his favorite color is? What about his favorite game at the arcade? The only things you acknowledge about your son is his faults.” 

“That’s not true.” 

“Then prove it. Seriously I’d love it if you would actually try to be a father to your son because you have a great kid here and you don’t even know it.” Dick took a deep breath. “Urgh. This is why I came in the window.” Bruce could hear Damian yelling in the background. “I’m coming little D. I’m turning off the baby monitor. Don’t worry I’ll get him back to sleep.” 

Bruce listened to the click and sunk back into the chair at the batcomputer rubbing his hand over his face. His eldest was always the best at making him feel incompetent. Now all he needed was Tim to scold him and it would complete the trifecta. 

The man sighed but kept working leaving his youngest in the capable hands of his brother. 

When all was said and done the sky outside just beginning to turn toward dawn Bruce finally made his way upstairs. He stopped outside the nursery. Dick was asleep on the rocking chair with Damian laying against him a pacifier in his mouth. He smiled softly at them both before closing the door silently and treading over to his own room. He wouldn’t get much sleep maybe a few hours, but it would be better than nothing. 

…

“Morning.” Tim walked into the dining room and paused. Bruce was in his usual spot and Dick sat as far from him as it was possible to be. Damian’s High chair was next to Dick. The atmosphere was tense and if Tim didn’t need coffee to survive he might have turned and walked right back out again. 

“Good morning Timmy.” Dick’s smile felt forced but Tim knew he was trying not to take his mood out on him so he smiled back. “Whoa bag check for Tim’s eyes.” he laughed. 

Tim rolled said eyes. “I’ll have you know this is my face on 7 hours of sleep. It’s just the way I look.” 

“5 ½ actually master Timothy.” Alfred corrected handing Tim his coffee. 

“That’s still pretty good for you.” Dick commented. 

“I got all your missed calls this morning sorry.” 

“It’s okay, I got a hold of Little Wing and he let me know.” Dick shot a small glare at Bruce who either wasn’t paying attention or just chose to ignore his ire. 

Damian hit his hands against the plastic tray of his high chair a few times and Dick looked back at him. “What? Are you hungry you little cutie?” 

“Ba gah!” Damian yelled loudly. Dick smiled and handed him a rattle. Damian immediately chucked it at Tim. 

“Ow! Why?” He looked at the baby “Why do you hate me?” Damian just tilted his head at him and held out his hand for the toy back. 

“He doesn’t hate you Timmy he just wants to play.” 

“Well he’s not going to get it back if he’s just going to throw it again.” Tim said holding the toy away from Damian. The babies face scrunched up. 

“Um.. Tim I don’t think that’s a good idea. Just give him the toy back.” 

“No it hurt when he threw it.” 

Damian made a distressed noise and reached out with both hands. Dick scooted his chair back. 

“Come on Timmy I really think you should just give it back. I’ll catch it if he throws it again.” 

“No.” 

After that everything went to hell. Damian went into full meltdown mode screaming. Dick tried to hush him but the boy was too far into his tantrum for that and he whacked his eldest brother in the face. 

“Tim give your brother back his toy.” Bruce demanded 

“Alright alright.” Tim felt a little guilty about making his brother cry. But dang it why did he have to be the one to get in trouble when Dami had started it. Tim handed the toy over to his brother. “Here ok. I’m sorry.”

The baby grabbed it and his crying ceased. He sniffled a couple times and looked up at Tim. He held out his toy to him. Tim didn’t look like he wanted to take it afraid of what might happen if he did, but the baby just kept waving it at him. He took it. His little brother tilted his head at him as if waiting. 

“Um thanks.” 

Damian smiled. 

“Oh my god he smiled!!” Tim could hear Dick taking pictures over his shoulder. Tim was just gaping at Dami. It was such a cute little smile he could see the 5 little teeth his brother currently had. 

Tim smiled back and handed the toy back to him. Damian grabbed it and began biting at it the smile gone as he refocused on the task at hand. 

Bruce had gotten up to get a better view of his smiling son and he gave Tim a pat on the back. 

“I told you he didn’t hate you.” Tim didn’t reply and he actually felt a little choked up- not that he’d ever admit to that- Dick was in front of Damian making silly faces and trying to get the baby to smile again but it just made the boy frown harder. 

“No fair!” Dick whined. 

“Back to your seats please.” Alfred requested, Dick was still pouting but he acquiesced. Bruce took his seat but he sat on Damian’s other side rather than at the head of the table like usual. It was a nice change. 

This time Damian got both baby food as well as little cut up pieces of egg and strawberries. But once again, getting Damian to actually eat his food was a nightmare. Bruce took his own bite as Damian babbled at Dick. 

Bruce suddenly had an idea. He filled up a spoon and waited until his son opened his mouth to make more noises and shoved the spoon into his mouth. Damian didn’t look at all pleased but he ate the bite so Bruce counted it as a success. 

He did it twice more. The third time he received a very angry look from Damian and a little shout once he’d swallowed. Now when he want to babble to Dick he looked a little more on guard and it took a couple tries for him to get the spoon in his mouth again. Only this time Damian didn’t swallow he spit out the food and grabbed a handful of his eggs and threw them at his father. 

Dick laughed. “Okay, okay stop. Jeez B you have to make it fun for him.” 

“Fun?”

“Yeah. Give me the spoon.” He filled it with the pureed pears. “Vroom vroooom. Look Damian here comes the batmobile.” Bruce raised an eyebrow at Dick whom ignored him as he moved the spoon around in a series of arcs and zig zags catching the babies attention until the spoon neared his mouth. “Into the cave.” This time Damian allowed Dick to put the spoon of food into his mouth. Dick smirked at him triumphantly. 

Bruce shook his head at his eldest who handed him back the spoon. “I’m not doing that.” 

“Come on it’s for your son.” Dick looked at Bruce expectantly and he knew if he refused his eldest would probably tear into him.

“Alright, fine.” He sighed filling the spoon before looking awkwardly at his son who was staring back at him, waiting. 

“Well go on.”

“Do it. Do it. Do it.” Tim chanted from his seat. 

“Here comes the batmobile.” He sounded decidedly less excited than Dick had. 

“Make the car sounds.” Tim said before covering his mouth trying to hide his laughter. 

“Vroom vroom.” He moved the spoon to the babies mouth. “Into the cave.” Damian let him spoon the mush into his mouth. 

“That was pure gold.” A voice startled the three of them. Jason was leaning against the now open window with his phone out.

“Morning Little Wing.” Dick grinned “Send me that later?”

“Yep.” 

“We do have doors.” Bruce commented dryly. He was ignored. 

Jason ruffled Damian’s hair and the little boy frowned at him. He laughed because in that moment both Wayne's were making the exact same face. Priceless. 

…

“Ooo ooo! Can I pick out his clothes!!” Dick asked. Bruce looked thoughtful. “Pretty Please.”

“I’ll tell you what, you can pick his clothes _if_ you change his diaper.” 

“This feels like a trap.” Tim spoke up.

“This is definitely a trap.” Jason nodded

“I saw a little Nightwing onesie when I looked yesterday.” Bruce added slyly.

“Deal.” Dick nodded and Bruce didn’t show it but he was smiling on the inside. 

…

“Why am I here?” Jason asked “I’m not the one who agreed to this.”

“Because I’m not doing this alone. Tim’s here too. It’s brotherly bonding.” 

“I don’t want to bond.” Tim felt the need to add. 

“Too bad.” Dick said looking at Damian a bit lost. He tugged at the diaper. “Do I just yank it off of him?” 

“Oh dear god.” Jason murmured.

“I think there are supposed to be tabs.” Tim answered edging a little closer and pointing them out to his oldest brother. Damian kicked at their faces when they tried to get the tabs undone. 

“Come on Dami work with me here.” 

Bruce reclined in the rec room -now a temporary play area for his baby- with his coffee and the paper listening to his boys scream. 

“You started this Dick now finish it!” 

“Wipe! Wipe it! No you’re getting it all over him.” 

“AH!” Bruce wasn’t aware his second eldest could scream so high pitched “it’s on me! It’s on me!!!” 

…

Bruce looked up regarding his four boys; they were each sporting wet hair and looking squeaky clean. Damian too seemed as if he had gotten a morning bath. 

Dick looked traumatized. 

“Never again B.” He said solemnly as he set the baby down, Alfred had a baby gate already set up so the boys took the opportunity to crash on the couch in a robin pile. Damian blinked at them a batman pacifier in his mouth and he was wearing the little Nightwing onesie. He kicked his feet and his attention was drawn to his own socked toes. He frowned at the black socks and reached down pulling off one than the other. 

Once that was done, he gave a little nod as though complimenting himself on getting rid of the offending material. 

They spent the rest of the morning watching Damian crawl around the room playing with toys. Dick joined him after his rest on the couch. Tim pulled out his laptop. Jason tried to see if the baby could walk which resulted in a face plant and a lot of sobbing.

Alfred had scolded them_ all_ for that one. 

Despite that Bruce was having probably one of his best mornings. It had been a while since his kids had all been in the same house for so long without it being about a case. It was nice.

…

“Master Bruce. I feel as though we should discuss the matter of next weeks Gala.” Alfred brought up over lunch. Bruce cursed in his head. He’d forgotten all about the damn Gala. 

“That’s going to be a problem; what are we going to do with Damian?” 

“You don’t think he’ll be alright upstairs?” Bruce asked 

“What if he cries? Even with Alfred there it could happen. Someone is bound to notice a baby crying.” Tim pointed out.

They all dissolved into silence each thinking of a viable solution.

“We could tell them he’s Dick’s” Bruce proposed. 

“What?” Said man glared at his adopted father. 

“It would work. Damian looks a little like you.” 

“That’s not the point B. What about when Damian goes back to normal? Am I just supposed to say I got rid of my supposed son?! No way. I’m not going to turn into a deadbeat dad just for the sake of your gala.” 

Bruce hadn’t thought about that. 

“besides ,” Dick added quieter sitting back down in his seat. “I couldn’t call him anything but Damian. Even for a cover it would feel wrong like I’m replacing him.” he shook his head “Not happening.” 

“What if we just tell the truth.” Tim spoke up. Everyone turned to look at him. “Obviously not the whole truth, the press have been running stories about _‘Jack Kalmin; The Magician’_ for the two weeks he was loose. Including a story about the people that were transformed. So maybe the last place Kalmin robbed was Wayne Manor.” Tim explained weaving the story. “Damian caught him but of course what was a 10 year old kid going to do. Boom. He gets turned into a baby. Red Hood catches up to him. Beats him up. Now there’s no way to turn him back.” 

Bruce is thoughtful for a moment. “That feels a little too close for comfort.” 

“All good lies are based in truth.” Tim said. 

“Good idea Timmy.” Dick nodded. “Come on Bruce; you know Tim is a genius. If he thinks this will work than it definitely will.” Tim blushed. It was good to know his brother trusted him that much. 

“Alright but we’re going over the story with a fine tooth comb to make sure everything lines up.” Bruce told Tim who nodded.

“I’ll start working on it.” 

The rest of lunch was interrupted by Bruce’s phone ringing. He passed Damian over to Dick who was more than happy to keep bottle feeding the baby. He stepped outside loving the laughter that followed him out. 

“Lucius?” Bruce answered. “Is everything alright?”

“Not exactly. It probably wouldn’t be so bad if you decided to come into work more than once a month.”

“Hey now, isn’t that why I made you chief executive,”

“You still own the company Bruce and the shareholders want to cut back on the Martha Wayne foundation gala this year.”

“The Gala is in a week and they want to do this now?” 

“I’ve tried telling them that. They won’t back down unless it comes from you.” 

Bruce looked back toward the kitchen he could hear his children talking, Damian yelling over them in his baby talk. Jason was laughing. He sighed “Alright. I’ll be there in an hour.” 

He walked back into the kitchen. Dick looked over. “What up B?” 

“I’ve been called into work.” 

Tim looked up “Anything I can help with?” 

Bruce looked instantly relieved. Tim was great at handling the shareholders. He was efficient to a degree that Bruce often envied. “That would be great.” it had the added bonus of making Tim smile at him. The boy practically sped out of the room. 

The billionaire turned back to Dick and Jason. 

“Can you watch Damian for me?”

“Of course.”

“Eh. For $200... an hour.” They both answered simultaneously. 

“$100” Bruce bartered. 

“$150” 

“Deal.” 

Tim was waiting for him at the door computer in hand bouncing on the balls of his feet. “While we’re there we can also run by PR we’ll need to get started on announcing Damian being babyfied. And with the Gala in a week we don’t have much time.” 

“Good idea.” Bruce nodded. Tim beamed. "Let's go over details in the car."

…

“You what?!” Tim gaped at Jason and Tim. “We were only gone for 3 hours!”

Bruce put up a hand quieting everyone. “How did this happen?” He questioned. Dick looked stressed his hair was mussed from running his hands through it repeatedly. Jason also looked vaguely worried but he hid it better. 

“We were playing Video games B.” Dick said sadly. 

“In our defense we were in the playroom.” 

“We were fighting we didn’t even hear Titus knock down the baby gate.” Dick looked ready to cry. "You know how we get during Mario cart." 

“Come on.” Jason hit Dick “he’s not completely lost we know he’s somewhere in the manor.” 

“I can’t believe you lost Damian.” Tim shook his head. 

“We’ve got Alfred helping us look. He’s already told us off.” Dick looked down at his feet. 

Bruce took a deep breath trying not to be mad but inwardly he was a wreck. There was so much that Damian could get into. What if he hurt himself or worse? “Let’s get looking.” Was all he said. 

The others nodded and they all split up. 

“Damian!”

“Dami!!”

“Baby bat!” 

“Demon!” 

“Tim!”

“Sorry. Damian!!” 

Bruce and the kids had searched the entire lower half of the house. Either he got outside or he’d managed to get up the stairs. Bruce said he’d check the upper levels and had the others spread out over the grounds. 

As he was walking up the stairs he had a horrible image of Damian trying to crawl up them and falling backward. He knew that wasn’t the case but it could have happened and no one would have known. It was terrifying. 

He started in his own room. Then the nursery next to it. Nothing. Dicks room was next. Jason’s. Tim’s. Damian’s. Nothing. No baby. Bruce was getting desperate when he heard a sneeze. He laid down on the floor and lifted Damian’s bed spread to get a better look under the bed and breathed out a sigh of relief. 

Damian was scrunched under it petting Alfred the cat. 

“Damian.” he called out. Damian looked at him but didn’t move. “Damian please.” Bruce tried again. The boy still didn’t budge. He sat up and looked around the room. Cat treats. They were on the top of the boys dresser. He grabbed them and shook the container. Alfred popped up and scurried out from under the bed. Damian crawled after him. He gave the cat his treats and waited for Damian scooping him up as soon as he was all the way out. He peppered the babies face with kisses. His hair was dusty and the black onesie was covered in cat hair. 

“You gave your daddy and brothers a heart attack.” He whispered, holding him close. He needed to go find the boys and Alfred.

“Baba” Damian said and he snuggled into Bruce.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who don't know. Baba is Arabic for Papa. So that's Dami's first word. 
> 
> Please please review let me know what you guys think so far. I live for you're comments. :)
> 
> And THE QUESTION is...
> 
> I want to know if there's anything you're dying to see happen. Anything you guys would just really love to have me write. I can't guarantee I will do every idea but I can try my best to make some of your wishes come true. So let me know in the comment section, it can be fluffy or angsty; whatever you want!! I will credit you in the Authors notes if I end up including your idea in my fanfic. <3


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took way longer for me to write. Sorry about that. 
> 
> I've just got this new job transcribing audio so I type for 8 hours a day and it's almost exhausting to come home and think about writing some more. But I still want to try and keep my weekly update schedule as best I can. 
> 
> Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's a little shorter than the last few. I'm giving each brother their own chapter with Damian and then I'll be moving the story along with the Gala. I hope you still enjoy this chapter. It's Damian's day with Jason.
> 
> I did use a few of the suggestion I got from you're reviews in this chapter and I hope you guys like it. :D

“Say Jason. Jay- son” He sounded out for Damian, who looked completely unimpressed. He turned his head away from the man and his older brother frowned. He stood up and paced trying to explain to the baby his point of view. 

“Come on Damian, you have to do something cool while I have you; it’ll drive the others crazy that they missed it! And if I have to watch you, you’re going to make it worth my while.” Jason demanded. “I’m going to tell them you said it anyway, so you might as well try.” he added only to be hit in the face with a plastic circle from the baby's shape sorter.

Damian was glaring at him a triangle clutched his hand ready to launch. 

“You little shit.” He caught the next projectile and threw it back at the child, it bounced off his chest and his face scrunched up and his cheeks got really red. “No no! Wait I’m sorry.” He grabbed the baby and rocked him. 

Jason didn’t know how he let Bruce talk him into watching Damian by himself. He knew in his head that Alfred, despite being completely willing, was far too overworked without having to deal with a 10 month old. His thought's were interrupted by his phone ringing. He swiped accepting the call. 

“Roy I have Damian. I can’t-”

“I’ve got a case I’m working. You’re the one that took in the dog- which by the way you should name if he’s sticking around- Anyway I just dropped him at your place.” roy ignored him.

“If I name him I’ll get attached.”

“You already are. Gotta go.”

“I hate you.” he said but Roy had already hung up. Damn. He looked down at his brother. “Looks like we’re going on a field trip.” 

...

Damian was well entertained on their drive staring out the windows. He’d stopped at Bat Burger to get a two-faced sandwich and a large jokerized fry. Which he should hate, but in all fairness they tasted damn good. 

The drive thru attendant just had to ruin his good mood; however, by screeching at him as soon as he pulled up to the window. “Do you have that baby in the front seat?!”

He winced and Damian looked just as affronted by the harsh sound. 

“Uh-”

“Do you have any idea how dangerous that is!? You could kill him!” 

Personally Jason thought she was overreacting. The kid was fine in fact he seemed to be enjoying himself. 

“How am I supposed to watch him if he’s in the back?” He asked and he was sure the woman nearly had a stroke. He figured it was time to high tail it out of there before she called social services on him. 

Bruce would murder him. Again.

At least he got his food before she lost her shit. 

Jason handed the baby a fry or two “Don’t tell Al.” he said as he did so. Damian didn’t eat them, more like slobbered on them. It was pretty gross. He hefted the boy up into his arms settling his weight on his hip with his bag of fast food in the opposite hand. 

He could hear dog whining on the other side of the door as he fished out his keys and wondered briefly what he would do if Damian and dog didn’t get along. 

Fortunately he shouldn’t have worried. The animal nosed around him sniffing at the baby trying to figure him out. The little boy in his arms struggled to get down holding his arms out toward the German Shepherd. Jason very carefully held the boy down so that he could be sniffed. Dog licked him and the baby babbled happily actually smiling. 

He was the cutest when he smiled. 

The man set Damian down on the floor and let himself fall onto the couch. His apartment was pretty spotless not much a baby could get into. Bruce should be glad he wasn’t like Tim he’d seen the sty his replacement called a bedroom. 

Dog followed the kid as he crawled around Jason watching him move around the one room flat until the baby plopped himself down in front of the dog’s water dish and started to play. He dunked his hand into the dish and the squealed kicking his feet and pulling his hand out shaking it around before doing it again. Each time he did it garnered the same reaction. 

“It must be so easy being a baby.” Jason mused. 

_*Ding*_

The chime on his phone sounded out and he checked the notifications rolling his eyes when he saw it was Dick… again. His phone had been going off since he’d gotten Damian strapped into his car seat. He swiped his thumb across the screen.

He rolled his eyes and was tempted to ignore the man. But he knew Dick well enough to know that if he didn’t get what he wanted he would just keep pestering. Dick was annoyingly persistent like that. 

So Jason snapped a quick pick of Damian playing in dog’s water dish. 

_*Ding*_

Dick proceeded to bombard his phone with heart emoji’s. Jason rolled his eyes and closed the chat. 

It was about that time that dog started to whine meaning he needed to take a walk. He would much rather just continue to lay on the couch but he figured Damian was bound to get bored of the water dish soon and a trip to the park wasn’t the worst way they could spend their day. He grabbed one of the leashes Roy had bought and after a few minutes of contemplation grabbed the spare they had as well. He clipped one leash on dog and the other onto the belt loop of Damian’s little blue jeans B had dressed him in.

He saw kids on leashes all the time. At least this way he wouldn’t accidentally lose the baby.

…

He set Damian down once they got to the park and after dog had done his business. The little boy didn’t know how to walk yet but he was more than content to crawl around pulling up grass. Dog didn’t even try to leave the baby's side. Standing guard over his tiny charge. Maybe Jason should name him. 

He got a few side eyes from some of the other moms at the park. More than a few were checking him out but there were those couple that sneered down their ugly pointed noses at him and Damian. Pricks. Most of the other kids played together and Jason thought Damian might be attracted to the sounds of other kids having fun but really he should have known better. The boy was about as antisocial as it was possible to be and that didn’t change just because he was suddenly younger. 

Damian tugged on his little leash as he attempted to crawl forward pulling Jason out of his thoughts. His brother’s eyes were wide as he stared at the tiny pond in the middle of the park. There were ducks bobbing along its surface and Damian attempted once again to crawl forward. When the child realized that he was not making any progress in his attempted he plopped down on his but and turned to glare at his brother. 

“You’re a baby and you still manage to pull out the patented Wayne glare.” Jason shook his head as he stood and scooped the boy up setting him down so he was standing. “Let’s try walking toward the ducks.” 

He let go of him and Damian stood for 1… 2… 3… seconds before he sat down and started to crawl. He didn't even attempt to take a step.

“What if I help you.” This time he kept ahold of his hands and tried to walk with him. 

Damian did not like being assisted however and shook Jason off yelling in annoyance at his older brother until Jason relented and let him go. He immediately sat down and once more started to crawl. Jason sighed. 

“Alright I give up.” He picked up the baby and walked towards the ducks careful not to let Damian go in case he got too close to the edge of the pond. The little one pointed at the ducks using Jason for balance and bouncing up and down excitedly whenever one swam a little closer. “It’s a duck.” he told the baby. 

“Duck.” Damian said. Jason who’d been looking at the animal suddenly stared down at his brother. 

“Did you just say duck?” 

The baby made a face looking like it was taking all the effort in the world to get the d sound out and then “Duck!” 

“You did it. You said Duck! Good boy!” 

Dog’s tail wagged beside him like the good boy was meant for him and not Damian. In truth Jason felt a little silly for getting so excited over something so small. It was hard to remember sometimes that Damian hadn’t always been a baby. That he was actually a 10 year old boy.

“Duck.” he said again waving his little hands.

“How about Jason?” He tried again. Damian looked up at him. 

“Duck.” And he smiled after he said it. 

“Jason.” He spoke slowly

“Duck?”

“You’re doing this on purpose.” Jason pinched the boy’s cheek softly. “You’re such a brat.” 

…

“Your son is really cute.” A young woman stopped to tell him fluttering her eyelashes a little. Jason nearly choked on the water he’d just taken a drink of. He shortened Damian’s leash so he wouldn’t be able to get near the water turning to face the rather pretty girl. 

“He’s not mine.”

“Oh?” There was confusion. 

“He’s my brother actually.” Jason quickly corrected.

“Oh.” Her second oh seemed much more flirty and she took a step forward. Jason liked to think he was better than Dick when it came to being distracted by pretty girls but he let his attention get pulled away from Damian for a little longer than he should have. 

“Duck!” The boy spoke up. 

The girl looked down at him with a smile but then jumped back a little nose crinkling. Jason looked down to see why she’d reacted so horribly and his eyes widened. Damian had a little duckling tucked carefully in his arms and looking quite content. He kneeled down forgetting about the girl. 

“Hey buddy. Where’d you get that from? Where’s its mommy?” he looked around hoping to find other ducklings close by but there was nothing. 

“Duck.”

“You can’t have the duck. The duck has to stay here.” He pried the animal from his brother’s arms as gently as he could and set it down reminding himself that he should probably wash Damian’s hands thoroughly after this. 

His little brother began to cry when Jason picked him up and he reached out his arms for his new friend. “Duck--” he sobbed loudly. The man gently stroked his brother’s back trying to calm him. Damian laid his head on his shoulder and his crying subsided almost instantly. 

“Duck.” He sniffled. 

Jason turned around and realized the duck was following them. Dog sniffed it and Jason prayed he didn’t try to eat the thing. Dick would kill him if he traumatized his kid. But Dog seemed to approve of the feathered animal. Jason tried to walk a little faster but the creature was persistent. The little boy in his arms was clapping his hands and reaching for the Duck. 

“Ace. Duck.” 

He stopped. Did Damian just try to say Jason or was he hearing things. 

“Ace.” the boy pulled on his brother’s shirt and pointed. “Duck!”

…

“I can’t believe you brought home a duck.” Tim rolled his eyes. 

Alfred was currently washing the little feathered creature in the sink. That man had more patience than anyone Jason had ever met. 

He shrugged at the rest of the family. “He followed us. What was I supposed to do?”

“Not bring home a duck?” Tim replied dryly. 

“It’s not like it won’t fit in with the rest of the animals he’s collected. Just keep it down in the cave with Batcow.” Jason shrugged. “And besides he said my name. I couldn't say no after that.” 

“Really?” Dick perked up. 

“Yup.” He looked over at Damian who was seated in his high chair and stuffing cheerios in his mouth. “Who am I, kid?" he pointed to himself.

Damian looked at him for a minute. “Ace!” 

“He can’t quite say the J part yet. But close enough!” 

Dick squealed. “What about me Dami? Say Dick.” 

Damian looked across the table at him. “Baba.” 

“You might be sitting too close to B.” Tim offered. Dick scooched away from Bruce and leaned closer to Damian. 

“I’m Dick. Say Dick.” 

Damian pointed at him “Baba!” 

Jason snorted. “What did I tell you.” 

Tim pointed toward Bruce. “Then who’s that Damian?”

Damian looked at Bruce. “Baba!” 

“Maybe that’s all he knows how to say.” 

Jason shrugged “or maybe in his mind he has two dads.” 

“He’s a baby.”

“Damian. Who is that?” Jason pointed to Tim trying to make a point. 

The little boy frowned at Tim as if trying to find the word. “Duck!” 

“I’m Tim you little brat! Tim!”

“Duck.”

“Looks like you’re a duck now.” Jason laughed. 

“I hate this family.” Tim grumbled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please Review!! Thank you!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: So this is another semi short chapter kind of like the last one with Jason. So that's why I've got it written and posted so quickly. 
> 
> This one is Dick and Damian. And it is pure fluff. it's probably a fluff overload but I just think they are so cute. 
> 
> Also just a quick disclaimer: The song lyrics in the fic are from Mamma Mia 2; I've Been Waiting for You. it's just a little blurb but just in case I figured I'd better mention it. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Dick walked into the manor ready for a day with his favorite brother, don’t tell Jay or Tim, only to have his ears assaulted by wailing. 

He’d never seen Bruce so stressed out before. He was rocking Damian in his arms and his once pressed suit looked completely disheveled. Tim had his hands pressed over his ears with his head pushed into the table. 

Breakfast lay forgotten. 

Dick nudged his brother. Tim looked up at him and he had bags a mile wide under his eyes. He looked utterly miserable. 

“What is going on?” Dick asked 

“Teething apparently.” Tim had to yell to be heard over Damian’s screaming sobs. “He’s been crying on and off all night long.” 

“Poor baby.” 

“Poor me!” Tim complained. “Even Alfred ran away.” 

“It’s his day off Tim, he didn’t run away.” That was why Dick was here. Plus he’d practically begged for day with Damian all to himself. 

Bruce handed Damian over to Dick. “Alfred left some teething gel for him but it’s not doing much, and this pacifier but it has done literally nothing. Sorry about this Dick but Lucius has made getting ready for this Gala our number one priority.”

Dick knew that was a half lie. Bruce could get out of it if he really wanted to. 

He still accepted his little brother, he didn’t know how Bruce could just leave with Damian so upset. His face was red and wet with tears and he was hiccuping between cries. His heart clenched. 

“It’s ok baby. I know you hurt, huh?” 

Tim didn’t even say bye as he ran out the door. Bruce did to his credit looked reluctant to leave but at the same time somewhat relieved that he had an excuse to. 

“If he doesn’t stop soon call me, I’ll come back.” He told Dick. Dick rolled his eyes but assured the man he’d keep him updated. 

He picked up the pacifier that Alfred had left and realized it had liquid inside of it. He looked down at baby Damian whom had his face pushed into Dicks chest his shoulders shaking as he sobbed. 

“You’re daddy is an idiot.” He shook his head popping open the freezer and sticking the pacifier in knowing it would take an hour to freeze. “It’s ok little D I’ve got you.” He set down the baby for a second so he could use both of his hands. Damian’s screams got louder. “I know. I’m sorry, just give me like 2 seconds.” Not that his brother could understand him. He crawled to him and latched onto his pants sobbing. 

Dick grabbed a clean washcloth and an ice cube wrapping it in the material. He reached down and picked up Damian sitting down with him and maneuvering him so that he had access to his mouth. He ran the ice over the babies gums. Damian got with the program easily and began gnawing at the ice cube. 

“Better?” 

His brother looked at him with so much adoration it took Dick’s breath away. He’d never had anyone look at him like that before, as if he was this boy’s entire world. 

After two more ice cubes Damian’s pacifier was ready and the baby easily accepted it into his mouth. Dick could see the exhaustion on the boys face now that he had stopped screaming. 

_”I have known love before  
I thought it would no more  
Take on a new direction  
Still, strange as it seems to be  
It's truly new to me  
That affection._

_I, I don't know what you do  
You make me think that you  
Will change my life forever  
I, I'll always want you near  
Give up on you, my dear I will never_

_You thrill me, you delight me  
You please me, you excite me  
You're all that I've been yearning for  
I love you, I adore you  
I lay my life before you  
I only want you more and more”_

Dick sang softly, it was the song his mother sang to him when he was a child. It was one of the few things he’d held onto from his memories of her. His voice certainly didn’t do it justice but Damian didn’t seem to mind as he drifted off to sleep. 

He watched his baby brother sleep and part of him wished he could stay like this; young and innocent without all the pain and horror he’d gone through. But the other half of him missed the angry little boy he knew so well. 

He traced Damian’s pudgy little features with a finger committing them to memory. He was glad, at least, to have this time. 

…

The baby was much happier after his nap and was smiling happily at Dick. 

“This is the longest I’ve ever seen you smile.” He said as he got Damian changed into the cutest little pair of Robin swim trunks to match his own Batman ones. 

He had this planned since Jason sent him the picture of Damian playing in his dog’s water dish. Once they were both sunscreened up he made a quick stop in the bathroom for the bucket of Justice League rubber duckies. He dumped them into the pool watching them bob in the water. Damian kicked him in the stomach as he squirmed trying to get into the water. 

“Ok ok. Let me grab you’re floaty.” Dick set the boy in his duck floaty and his brother squealed loudly when his feet and butt hit the water. He immediately started kicking his feet and reaching over the edge of the floaty to put his hands in the water. 

“Hold your horses buddy. I’ve got to get Tim. Don’t you want to swim with him too?” He kept one hand on the floaty and used the other to scoop up the duckling. It had been a nearly unanimous decision to name the Duck Tim, the teen himself the only one who’d not been thrilled with the naming. 

He deposited the duckling into the pool and watched as it glided around.

“Duck!” 

“Yeah, is that Tim?” 

“Duck duck duck.” He repeated over and over. 

“You’re so smart.” 

“Baba!” Dick flushed pink but he felt a shot of warmth in his chest. He leaned down and kissed the boy on his cheek. This action earned another happy “Baba!” 

Dick held his breath and dipped below the water and then popped back up in a rush of water and Damian stared at him for a second and then he burst into happy giggles. 

“You laughed.” He grinned “Ah why don’t I have a waterproofed phone!” He stressed. He wanted a video of this so badly. His brother ducked down in his floaty and then bounced his body upward and it took a moment for Dick to realize that the boy was trying to copy him. 

He did it again disappearing below the surface and tickling the boy’s tiny toes before emerging pushing back his wet hair and listening to the delighted little giggles. 

One of the rubber duckies floated by and dick grabbed it and showed it to the little boy. 

“Look it’s Superman.” Damian grabbed the ducky and threw it. 

“Oh be nice to poor Supes. He’s a good uncle.” Dick pouted at the baby. “How about Jason’s favorite. Wonder Woman.” that duck got a similar treatment. “Well fine than, which one do you like?” He went through each duck until Damian found his favorite. 

“You’re so biased, just like your dad.” Dick rolled his eyes when Damian settled only for the batman duckie.

“Baba?” 

“Yup just like your Baba.” 

…

They didn’t get out of the pool until they were both wrinkly. It had taken Dick almost twenty minutes to fish Tim out of the pool and get him back down to the cave. 

Damian was chewing on his t-shirt so dick fetched his frozen binky and that seemed to soothe him. He settled the boy on his chest as he lounged on the couch. The baby was content to just stare at his oldest brother reaching out with his little fingers to pull on his face. 

Dick leaned down and touched his nose to Damian’s and proceeding to give him multiple Eskimo kisses until the little boy began to instigate it himself stretching up to rub his nose against Dick’s. 

“I hope you remember this when you get older again. I hope you remember how much I love you.” He whispered softly into Damian’s hair. 

…

*DING DONG*

Dick made sure Damian was clipped into his high chair before he ran to answer the door. 

“You’re just in time for food.”

“Oh no.” Barbara grimaced. 

“Don’t worry, Alfred cooked.” 

“Thank god.” 

“Ouch Babs.” 

Damian screamed from the dining room and Dick winced. Barbara wheeled herself inside and dick closed the door behind her. 

“He is so cute!” 

“I know right!” 

The boy regarded Babs tilting his head a little trying to suss her out. She waved at him. “Hi there.” 

“This is Babs, Dami. She’s been wanting to meet you.” Dick popped open a container packed with bite sized chicken chunks and peas. He set it in front of Damian. 

He and Babs settled on either side of the baby. Damian would eat a chunk of chicken stuffing almost his whole hand into his mouth. The he’d pick up another piece and try to give it to Dick. He accepted the food and tried to hide his grimace. His hand was covered in spit. 

Dick pretended to eat the food, hiding it in his palm and making overly dramatic chewing sounds. “Thank you Damian that was so yummy.” 

Babs tried to grab a piece of chicken but Damian was not having it. He smacked her hand and she pouted at him before trying again. After that it turned into a game. 

“You’re teaching him bad manners. Dami you should share.” He tried. 

Babs just rolled her eyes. “Don’t be such a party pooper, we’re having fun, aren't we?” She snuck her hand closer to a piece of chicken and his brother waited until was about to grab it before smacking her hand. Then he pulled back and watched her waiting for her to do it again. 

“How dare you? I am not a party pooper.” He crossed his arms. “We have had a great day.”

“I have no doubt about that. You’re a great brother Dick.” 

"I really am.” He agreed and she smacked him. 

“No!” Damian yelled at Barbara startling the two of them. The baby pointed at her and said “No.” again. 

“No what?” Dick asked. 

“I think I know.” Babs reached over and hit Dick again. 

“No!” he glared at her. 

“Are you trying to protect me Dami?” he ruffled the baby’s hair. 

…

“I can’t believe you didn’t try putting it in the freezer.” Dick scolded Bruce while Tim and Babs snickered at them. 

“How was I supposed to know that?”

“I’m stripping you of you're title of Worlds #1 detective.” 

“That has nothing to do with this.”

“Nope it’s too late. Tim is now #1.”

“Yes!” Tim grinned. 

“He didn’t figure it out either.” Bruce argued. 

“You’re right I’m #1.”

“Aww.” Tim pouted. Bruce rolled his eyes. 

“Hey you guys want to see something funny.” 

“Barbara no. you spent all afternoon hitting me.” Dick edged away from her. But Babs was fast she punched him in the arm.

“No!” Damian cried out at once from Bruce’s arms. 

“He learned another new word?” B looked proudly down at his son. 

Tim looked curiously from Damian to Dick and he reached over to hit his oldest brother too. 

“NO!” the baby glared at him. Tim lifted up his hands in surrender. 

“Ok ok, I won’t do it again.” 

“Want to see what else he learned, that doesn’t involve hitting me.” Dick stole his brother away from his dad and got closer to Tim who backed up a little looking suspicious. “Stop it, he won’t hurt you.” 

“Fine.” Tim huffed. 

Dick held the baby up to Tim’s face. “Eskimo kiss Dami.” He said. Damian leaned in and rubbed his nose on Tim’s. “Good boy!” He hugged the baby. “Now Bruce.” 

He repeated the process with Bruce who smiled softly when their noses touched.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review!! Let me know what you guys think. I'm sorry this was so short. Tim's day is next and that one will probably be short as well. but after Tim's day I should be getting back into longer chapters. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim's day is done!!! YAY!! 
> 
> Once again I want to thank you for all the amazing comments and I'm so glad you guys are still loving this story. Next we get a Bruce day!!! With some Justice League cameo's. Stay tuned :D

“I still don’t think this is a good idea." Tim wanted his opinion made clear so that when this inevitably went sour he could say 'I told you so' and feel totally justified. "Why can’t we just take him with us, then we could both go?” Tim asked holding out Damian to Bruce. The baby kicked his feet as if agreeing with his older brother. 

“We can’t take him to the office." Bruce reached out to tickle the tiny toes and smiled when his baby squealed. When he looked up at Tim the smile was gone as if he was trying to save face and appear more intimidating in his decisions. Tim was not convinced. "There’s not enough for him to do there and the office isn’t baby proofed. Alfred will be here with you. You’ll be fine.” Bruce reiterated as he shouldered on his jacket and headed for the door, stopping to drop a kiss on Damian’s brow. "I trust you."

"Great but I don't trust me!" Tim called back to him. Bruce just waved before the door closed and Tim huffed. 

The baby reached out toward the door where his dad had seemingly vanished "Baba!" his lips began to quiver and he whined. Tim grimaced at the sound knowing that he would start crying soon. He always did whenever anyone left it was as though he thought he’d never see any of them again. 

“It’s okay little demon, B will be back.” Tim tried to reassure the boy in his arms. Damian cried anyway. 

…

Tim knew this wasn’t a good idea but it was becoming glaringly obvious that he was not fit to handle baby Damian. 

The baby boy was currently angry because they had no more apple juice and he refused to drink anything else. Tim had tried to give Damian a sippy cup of water in place of the juice at the behest of Alfred but that hadn’t gone over very well. 

“NO!!!!!” His brother screamed while hitting the sippy cup against the table. Alfred and Tim both looked at each other. 

“Damian what about milk?” Alfred asked the little boy kindly. 

“Nuuuu…” He’d dissolved into tears instead of screaming looking utterly miserable. 

Alfred sighed “I do have some shopping that needs to be done. I can get some juice while I’m out.” 

“Alfred, you can’t leave me here with him alone!” Tim objected looking horrified. Alfred was his safety net. What if he broke Damian while the butler was away. "We can come with you." 

“You’ll be fine Master Timothy. I won’t be gone long.” Alfred shook his head. "I won't get anything done with him in this state, it's better you both stay here." 

“But,” Tim wanted to pull a Damian and throw a tantrum. “Alright.” He mumbled instead. Alfred squeezed his shoulder. 

…

Damian was just getting worse and worse as the minutes ticked by. Tim had a pounding headache developing that even coffee couldn’t cure and was trying to get the baby to play or read or do anything other than throw a tantrum. The shape sorter was thrown against the wall and Tim had scolded him which had only made things worse. His brother was now laying on his back in the rec room kicking his feet and waving his fists and making a general fuss. Tim had tried to stop it but at this point he was just letting Damian cry it out. 

After a few minutes of angry crying he rolled over on his belly and crawled toward Tim tugging on his pants. "Up." He whimpered. 

“Are you done?”

“No.” the baby sobbed out and Tim sighed picking his brother up anyway. The baby pushed his face into Tim’s shirt. 

“You’re life is so hard, isn’t it?” and Damian looked up at him with a glare as if he could recognize the sarcasm in Tim's voice. “Alright, so no toys. What else can we do?” Tim stood up and stepped over the baby gate. 

There wasn’t much in the way of things to do in the Manor beside the swimming pool. It made sense, they didn’t spend a lot of time hanging out. It was where they lived, but all their activities took place at night out in Gotham. Maybe that was a little sad, but it was just the way things were. As Jason would say, 'A family that fights together stays together.' Once upon a time those words wouldn’t have left the 2nd Robin’s mouth but they’d come a long way since then. 

Tim hesitated outside Damian's bedroom. He’d only been allowed in there a few times and even though said boy was a baby he still felt nervous about breaching the premises.The only one who had regular permission to enter was Dick. He took a deep breath and pushed the door open. The room was spotless, as it always was. The few times he’d been allowed into Damian’s room it had always been tidy. The boy was anal about his appearance and his space. Everything had to be in order. 

Unlike Tim, his own room was a hazard. Dick’s apartment in Bludhaven was much the same. The eldest always complained that when Damian was visiting he’d come back from work with a spotless house and an hour long scolding about personal hygiene. Alfred was very proud.

Surprisingly Jason was the same as his youngest brother when it came to cleanliness. Tim always found it weird that the man could down 4 double cheeseburgers, proceed to belch in Tim’s face, and on the same day request that they take off their shoes when they enter his safe-house.

“What do you like to do?” He asked aloud as he looked around the room for a hint of what Damian might enjoy. It didn’t take long and really Tim could have kicked himself for not thinking of it. 

The baby had his head on Tim’s shoulder and he was pretty quiet an occasional whine the only sound as he snuggled close to Tim. The teen held onto him with one arm and dialed Alfred on his phone with the other. 

…

Thankfully Alfred was the best butler/grandfather in the world and seemingly to Damian the savior of his morning as he quickly handed the child his much wanted apple juice. Not to mention Tim’s request. 

“You will not be messing with any of that inside, I suggest you take your activities outside.” Alfred pointed toward the backdoor. Tim nodded. 

“Come on Dami, I got you a surprise.” Tim set Damian on the grass and got the supplies ready before he rolled out a massive sheet of paper. 

The baby whom was playing with the grass was instantly attracted to the paper. He crawled onto it and tried to grab at it but it was too smooth for him to get a good hold on it. Tim opened a tub of blue paint and set it before him. Damian looked from the paint to his brother a little confused. Tim sighed but proceeded to show him how it was done. He stuck a finger into the paint and drew a smiley face next to the boys foot. The little robin was immediately enthralled and he attempted to copy Tim holding out a finger to dunk in the paint but instead of one finger he ended up with his entire hand coated in blue paint. 

He drew a smiley next to Tim's but it looked more like a paint splatter than a true smiley. Still, Damian looked extremely proud of his work and continued to make more ‘drawings.’

At one point he got a bit too far from the paint tub and attempted to pull it closer to himself. Tim didn’t react in time to avoid the entire thing tipping over and covering the left side of the paper in blue. Damian giggled when the paint coated his legs. He wiggled his toes and kicked his feet splattering paint all over himself and Tim. 

Of course, after that it became a war with the child to keep him from purposefully dumping out the various colors of paint onto the parchment. The red paint bucket was the next to go and poor Tim the unwilling victim. It was a good thing it was non toxic because he was pretty sure he swallowed some of it. He couldn’t be too angry with his little brother. At least the brat was having fun. 

His day hadn’t been a complete failure after all. 

They played around with the paints long after the paper had been covered, until Tim began to feel the paint drying on his skin and he knew it was time for a shower for himself and bath for the demon brat. He picked up Damian who whined at him. 

“We’ll leave it out here to dry, you can show you're Babas.” Tim told him and Damian clapped his hands. 

“Master Timothy you will not be taking one step into this manor the way you are.” Alfred stopped them both. 

“Aw, come on Alfie.” Tim pouted. Damian looked up at his brother and then proceeded to give the older man an identical pout. Alfred made sure to snap a picture of it. 

“Set the baby down and go stand over there.” Alfred pointed toward the grass and Tim sighed but obeyed. Damian watched curiously as the butler got out the garden hose. The baby burst into delighted giggled when Tim shrieked like a little girl. 

“Cold! So cold!” He rubbed his arms and legs quickly trying to get the paint off so he could end his torture. “Demon brat this isn’t funny!” Tim scowled at the child. This is what he gets for trying to keep the brat entertained. 

Once Alfred was satisfied he turned off the hose and handed Tim a towel. 

“What about Damian.” 

“Don't be silly, you can’t spray a baby with a water hose. The water would be too cold for him.” 

“Lucky.” Tim stuck his tongue out at the boy who copied him and did it back. Alfred got Damian wrapped in another towel to make sure he didn’t get paint everywhere and handed him back off to Tim. 

“To the baths with the both of you.” 

“Why do I have to do it?” Tim whined 

“You wanted to play with paints and now you will clean up after yourself.” Alfred told him. Tim had no argument for that. Instead he trudged up the steps and toward the bathroom. He stopped halfway down the hall outside Bruce’s office and he didn’t know why the idea popped into his head but afterwards he couldn’t stop thinking about it. It was a great idea. 

He ran back down the steps taking them two at a time and the little boy in his arms squealing at his fast pace. 

“Master Timothy not with a child in you're arms.” Alfred scolded 

“Sorry Alfie. I just had a great idea.” Tim grinned "I promise I won’t get paint anywhere else.”

“Else?”

“Trust me! It’s a present for B.” Tim headed back outside and looked over the paint choices. Bright green for Damian and Yellow for himself. He grabbed the pints of choice and headed back inside and up the stairs. 

Tim set down the paints and took a seat in Bruce’s chair with Damian seated in his lap as he gauged the perfect spot for his impromptu arts and craft project. 

“Perfect. Okay Dami, you’ve got to do exactly as I say or Alfred will kick our butts, go it?” The boy nodded looking very serious for a 10 month old. 

Tim laid out the towel to make sure any paint drips were caught by the already stained fabric. 

“Watch me.” He told his brother. He painted his hands with the yellow paint making sure that they were good and coated before pressing them against the wall a little higher than his head. He pulled his hands off the wall carefully and smiled at the perfect hand prints. “Your turn.” 

Tim did the same to Damian’s hand but this time in green paint and he helped the boy press his palms onto the wall just below his pushing down on the baby’s little fingers gently and then slowly peeling them off. “Good Job.” 

Alfred stood in the doorway to the office and smiled, he knew master Bruce would love it. 

“And when Dick and Jason come round they can add theirs too.” He told Alfred. He blushed a little under the butler’s gaze. 

Truth be told he’d seen a million little kids do things like this for their parents when he was young but he’d never had a chance to do them too. His parents didn’t care for things like that. By the time Bruce had adopted him those little things had slipped his mind. He’d simply grown out of them. 

But with Damian as a baby now and seeing all the little kid toys and the backyard finger painting, it had brought back all those memories of all the things he’d always wanted to do but never had the chance. 

…

Bath time turned out to be just as much of a mess as painting had. Damian had learned how to splash with Dick the previous day while they were swimming and was more than happy to demonstrate for his third brother. 

“You're a menace.” Tim told him as he bundled the baby up in a cow themed towel. Damian leaned up and pressed his nose to Tim’s initiating an Eskimo kiss. It was unfairly cute. “You're cheating.” Tim frowned. How was he supposed to keep up their sibling rivalry when he was being so adorable? 

Alfred had laid out a shirt that said ‘Daddy’s little superhero’ along with justice league themes pants. Tim tried to put on the matching socks but Damian kept tugging them off his feet. 

“What do you have against footwear?” Tim asked him 

The baby just reached down and grabbed his toes in response. And really, how was Tim supposed to argue with that? 

…

After Damian’s afternoon nap he was in a great mood. Tim had pulled out his blocks and was building towers and then letting the baby knock it down before starting again. 

“Tim.” 

“Duck.”

“T-im”

“No.” 

“Come on Damian. You have a name for everyone else. And no, Duck is not a name.” 

“No duck?” 

“No duck.” Tim confirmed. Damian just went back to his blocks and the teen sighed.

…

Despite the semi nice day they'd had Tim was more then ready when it was time for Bruce to get back. It hadn’t been the worst day in the world but he was bone-tired. One would think he'd be used to being tired with his late nights, but looking after Damian left him a different kind of exhausted. 

Bruce wasn’t by himself. Dick was just behind him, both having arrived back at the house simultaneously. “Are you sure you should be taking so much time off work?” 

“It’s fine, I’ve already discussed it B. Besides I wouldn’t miss this time with Damian for the world.” Dick caught sight of Tim and Damian and he immediately brightened up. “Speaking of, there’s my little man.” 

Tim avoided Dick and handed Damian off to Bruce making the oldest boy pout. 

“What was that for?” 

“I need you for something real fast. Be back in a sec.” Tim pulled his sputtering brother away and up the stairs stopping in his room for the tub of blue paint. 

“What are we doing?” Dick was very confused until Tim showed him the wall. He cooed over the little hand prints and smiled brightly. “This is a great idea.” He happily added his hands to Bruce’s wall, the bright blue prints just above Tim’s. 

After Dick had washed all the blue off his palms they returned downstairs. Bruce and Damian were out on the patio and it looked like Damian was showing off his artwork with Alfred’s help. 

“It’s very nice son.” Bruce intoned. The colors had all splashed together forming a very ugly blob of colors but his baby looked so proud. “Did you have fun with Tim today?” He asked. The baby nodded and reached out for said brother. It amused Bruce that despite the two of them having spent the whole day together his 2nd youngest still looked nervous holding onto Damian. Like he was scared he might hurt him or that Damian would somehow morph back into himself and stab him. 

Instead of either of those the little boy actually hugged him. “Awuyoo” He said 

“He said he loves you!!”

“Are you sure?” Tim thought it sounded ambiguous at best.

“That was definitely an ‘I love you’.” Dick smiled. “You’re talking so much now. I love you.” 

“Awuyoo.” Damian replied.

“Seriously; so he can say I love you, but he still can’t say Tim?” Tim scoffed “What the heck you brat?”

Damian didn’t reply he was too busy chewing on Tim’s shirt and staring at Dick who was repeating I love you with more and more ridiculous voices each time. 

Bruce smiled at his sons. He wished they could get along this well when Damian was his normal age. It would certainly make his life a lot easier.

“Don’t count on it Bruce.” Tim seemed to have read his mind. “As soon as he’s back he’s going to be the same old Demon Brat we all know and tolerate.” But Bruce wasn’t fooled he could see the fondness in Tim’s eyes when he looked at Damian.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please Review!!! Thank you for reading!!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to make it clear that I know nothing about babies. I don’t have any and I’m not around any. I get all my information from google and, sometimes, youtube. So there are probably a million inconsistencies. I’m sorry about that. But this is a work of fiction and I’m doing my best. Hopefully it doesn’t bother you guys too much and you’re still able to enjoy the story. 
> 
> This chapter has taken me forever to write. Bruce is such a hard character to get down. I'm not happy with this chapter at all but after multiple rewrites I've decided this is the best that it's going to be.

“Master Bruce?” Alfred had come to wake up the man but his bed was empty. Alfred peered into the nursery and tried not to smile. Bruce was leaning against the crib railing and he could hear Damian’s giggles.

“Good morning Alfred.” Bruce spoke up. 

“Yes indeed it is.” 

Damian was on his back his feet were in the air and his hands grabbed his toes as he looked up at his father. Bruce still had trouble comprehending that this was his son. 

The fact of the matter was that Bruce had been avoiding the child. He’d taken any excuse to go into Wayne Enterprises and even Lucius who was always wanting him to put more work into WE was getting tired of him.

It wasn’t that he hated his son or anything close to that. In fact it was the exact opposite of that. He loved him too much. The more he was around Damian the less he wanted to let him go. Especially now the way Damian was opening up. He was laughing and smiling. He was happy in a way that Bruce was sure he never was growing up with Ra’s. 

It reminded him how much he’d failed his son. He hadn’t been able to protect him then. But he could now and he wanted this chance to try again. To be better. 

Except he couldn’t. It wasn’t fair to Damian and who he was. He couldn’t keep this cute little baby. 

“I didn’t think it would be this hard.” Bruce admitted to Alfred. 

“Being a parent never is.” 

“That’s not it. He’s not nearly as much trouble now as he is when he’s older. I love all my children, but there’s something different about a baby. I didn’t think it would be this hard to let go.”

Alfred smiled and placed a comforting hand on his arm. He could see how scared and vulnerable the man looked and he knew he needed to handle this carefully. 

“You don’t have to let him go. Yes, he is going to grow up. But Damian isn’t Dick or Jason or even Tim. He’s not grown up yet Bruce. Maybe he isn’t a baby but he’s still a child, and if I’m being honest he looks at you just like he’s looking at you now.” Alfred gestured to the baby who was indeed staring up at Bruce in earnest. “You just need to open your eyes to see it.” 

“Am I really that bad?” 

“Not bad, what you’ve done for these boys the good- and the bad- has made them into the men that they are today and I’m so proud of them and you. But you look at Damian and you see only his mother.” Bruce opened his mouth to point out that he had a very good reason for that but Alfred wasn’t finished yet. “I know why, and what she did to you was horrible, but he’s not her. He’s looking at you now to guide him.”

Bruce lips pressed into a thin line. “I didn’t-- he just seems to dislike me.” 

Alfred laughed. “Honestly you two are too alike. He’s scared-”

“Of me?” Bruce interrupted looking troubled. 

“No, he’s scared of letting you in. Sad to say his life hasn’t been filled with the most reliable people.” Alfred sighed. Damian had been harsh and rude when Alfred had first met him and he admitted the child often tried his patience but he’d come to see the insecure little boy under all that bluster. He’d seen how much he tried when he didn’t think anyone was watching. 

“I’m not, I mean to say I don’t…” Alfred gave him that look and Bruce flushed. Holding people at a distance was what Bruce did best. Hell he was doing it now with his baby. Damn. 

“Might I suggest you spending the day with your son.” Bruce didn’t respond just turned back to the crib and Alfred left him be. The man wasn’t always easy to reach with words and most times he didn’t listen but there were moments when Alfred could get through to him. And in those moments he knew that Bruce was still there. The child he’d basically raised still existed under the cowl.

\--

It was a rather quiet morning. The kids were out and about leaving Bruce and Damian to themselves. He had a feeling that it was mostly Alfred’s influence that kept the others away. 

Damian was crawling on the floor picking up his stuffed toys and bringing them over to Bruce handing them to him one at a time and then crawling away to get another one. Any time the billionaire tried to help his son the boy would yell ‘No’ at him. 

Bruce lifted his hands in surrender and sat back down. Damian frowned at him as if he’d just ruined everything and he crawled back over to his dad and began rearranging the animals around him. The concentration on his little face made Bruce smile. 

His baby crawled away and hadn’t gotten far before he stopped and turned around to look at his dad as if making sure the man hadn’t moved again. Once he was satisfied he continued on with his quest. Alfred II jumped over the baby gate and the entrance of the cat distracted Damian. He crawled to the cat looking at him with wide eyes. Alfred pushed his head into Damian’s and the baby giggled. 

It didn’t matter how many time he did it the sound always warmed his heart. It was so nice to hear the cute little baby laughter. Alfred made his way to Bruce and settled in his lap. Damian frowned and crawled over he pouted at the cat. 

“No. Mine.” He seemed to tell Alfred pushing at his butt trying to get the feline to move. The cat jumped up looking ruffled and damian took his place scooting himself up onto Bruce’s lap. His little hands grabbing onto his dad’s shirt to keep him steady as he fumbled around trying to get settled. 

“Oof” Bruce felt a tiny knee stab him in the side and the boy smiled at his noise and he kicked him. “Ouch. Damian.” the little boy just laughed and kicked him again before moving to crawl away. Bruce caught up to him easily. “That’s not nice.”

“Nice?” He questioned tilting his head. 

“Yes, hitting people isn’t nice.” Damian stretched himself in Bruce’s arms and rubbed his nose on his dads. 

“Sowwy.” He apologized. Something Dick had taught him in the last few days. 

“Thank you.” Bruce leaned down to kiss him on the head but was distracted by the sound of his phone ringing. It wasn’t his Bruce Wayne phone either. 

“Batman.” He answered gruffly. Damian blinked at him with wide curious eyes not used to his ‘bat voice’.

“Hello Bruce!” 

“Superman.” 

“Oops sorry Batman.” Bruce could practically hear the smile on the stupid alien’s face. “I heard you’ve got a little one! Kon told me that Tim told him about what happened to the littlest Robin.” 

Bruce grumbled to himself making a note to talk to Tim about telling their family affairs to outsiders. “You're point.” 

“Oh come on, we want to see him!”

“No.” 

“Ple-”

“No.”

“Diana said if you don’t come see us she’s coming to you!”

“Why do you care?” Bruce juggled Damian in his arms as the child tried to grab the phone from him. 

“Damian doesn’t like me normally.” Clark pouted. 

“He doesn’t like anyone, I doubt that’ll change just because he lost a few years.” 

“I brought Jon to visit when he was a baby-”

“I didn’t ask you to.” 

“Bruuuceee.” 

“Fine, it’s only you and Diana?” 

“Yep.” 

Bruce rubbed his temples “I’ll zeta there soon.” 

“Great. Bye!” Clark hung up leaving Batman to sigh loudly looking down at his son whom had gotten a hold of the phone once Bruce closed it. “I apologize in advance.” Damian just shoved the device into his mouth. 

\--

“Do you really need to get into costume just to take Damian up to the Watchtower?” Alfred questioned watching Bruce don the cowl. 

“Of course. I always separate my professional and personal life, you know this. Besides while I’m up there I’m going to get some work done.” 

Alfred didn’t look convinced but he nodded. “I suppose it is a good thing Master Dick decided to purchase a baby robin outfit for little Damian then.” The old man had a batman diaper bag packed up for him and he showed Bruce his son before he strapped him in his carrier. It was a facsimile of Dick’s very first outfit including a pair of green booties.

“I don’t think that’s necessary.” 

“Nonsense aren’t you always reminding Damian that it’s Batman _and_ Robin.” 

Bruce had no answer for that. He just nodded taking the carrier and the diaper bag and feeling ridiculous. Mr. Mom indeed. 

Clark was waiting for them at the Zeta tubes with a bright smile that was already giving Bruce a headache. 

He swooped over floating over the carrier and looking down at Damian who was frowning at the man looking distrustful of the new comer. 

“He’s so cute!” Clark sniffled and Bruce looked at him as if he was absurd. “What? He makes me think of Jon when he was that little. Now he’s 7 and so big.” He sighed wistfully. 

“You do realize that Damian is 10.” 

“Well yes, but right now he’s little.” Bruce set the baby down on the table along with the bag. “Can I pick him up?” When the billionaire nodded Clark automatically started to unbuckle the baby. He lifted Damian out of the carrier and Bruce had to force himself not to react. 

He trusted Clark. He knew the man knew how to handle babies more than Bruce did but there was a certain anxiety about seeing his son in someone else’s arms. 

Damian wrinkled his nose looking up at Clark and he fussed in the Alien’s arms. The Clark made the mistake of letting the baby see batman. Damian immediately reached for him. “Baba!”

Clark looked confused. 

“It’s Arabic.” Bruce answered. 

Clark held him close to his chest and looked down at him. “Hello, I’m your uncle Clark.” Damian face scrunched up and he began rocking him “Oh no don’t cry please. I promise I’m really nice.” He whispered. 

“He’s quite the cute one.” Diana made herself known stepping closer to Clark and Damian and looking down at him. He still looked on the verge of crying.She scooped him out of Clark’s arms. 

“Calm child. You are in the company of friends.” She told him as though he’d be able to understand her. The boy stopped fussing though entranced with her tiara and he lifted his hands trying to grab it. She carefully pulled off the jewelry handing it to Damian. “This is a symbol of my status among my people.” She told him. 

“He’s going to stick it in his mouth.” Bruce warned her.

“It has been drenched in the blood of my enemies I doubt a little baby spit is going to harm it.” She told him. That was even less reassuring as Bruce rescued the Tiara before it could make it into his sons mouth. 

“I think it best if he doesn’t chew on things like this.” 

“You’re such a father.” Diana rolled her eyes but smiled. 

“I don’t know about that.” Bruce answered.

“Fathers never do.” Diana replied easily. Not getting to bite into the tiara was what finally set Damian over the edge and he started to cry just tiny sobs. Bruce took him from Diana and the boy latched himself onto him little hands gripping his cape tightly. 

He was acutely aware of both Diana and Clark looking at him with matching smiles. 

“Do you think you both can watch him responsibly while I get some work done.” 

“Of course. I did raise Jon and he’s turned out just fine.” 

“I’m giving Lois most of the credit there.” 

“She is an amazing mother.” Clark nodded. Diana waved Damian’s stuffed cat at him and taking the baby from Bruce when he reached for it. 

“We’ll be fine.” 

Bruce couldn’t say he got much work actually done. He spent most of the time watching the two heroes through the reflection on the screen. Clark would look over at him every now and again when his heart rate would pick up when he threw his son a bit to far into the air. 

Damian true to himself had pulled off the booties almost immediately after he noticed them and the cape on the costume seemed to be driving him insane and he kept trying to reach behind him and grab it but was unable to get a grip onto the shiny yellow fabric. 

Diana was trying to get him to walk. She seemed determined standing him up on his feet each time he sat down. 

“You can do it. You will move faster on your feet. It is essential.” She told him seriously. 

Of course the Watchtower could never stay empty for long and much to Bruce’s horror both Barry and Hal made an appearance. The speedster was all over the place cooing at Damian. 

“Don’t you have your own children at home Barry?”

“That’s not the point. This is a once in a lifetime seeing you with a baby. Plus he’s all murdery when he’s older.” Barry pointed out. Damian hadn’t taken well to meeting the league members and Bruce despite feeling slightly exasperated with his son was mostly proud of the fact that most of the JL had admitted to being scared of the ten year old.

Speaking of Damian was currently screaming at Hal. The man was doing his best to get on the babies last nerves moving the boy’s stuffed toys around when he wasn’t watching. 

“Stop patronizing my son Hal.” Bruce intervened when Damian started to cry in pure frustration. Hal at least looked reasonably guilty about making the baby cry. Damian got back at Hal by smacking him in the face when the Green Lantern was trying to apologize. “You deserved that.” 

\--

“Alfred!!!” Dick was jumping out of the Batmobile with a bleeding Tim in his arms. Bruce was right behind him and Tim was gasping a hand over his side. 

“It’s not that bad.” 

“Shut up replacement.” Jason had been right behind them on his bike. 

It had been a mess of a patrol. Tim had gotten nailed with a poison bullet from Falcone’s. Alfred got to work on the antidote while Bruce went about removing the bullet. 

Tim squeezed Dick’s hand while his father dug through his gut for the piece of lead. “Please tell me it missed my spleen.” He joked having lost the organ a while back. He hissed a second later as the bullet came free. 

“Nice one replacement.” 

“I think you’ve been partnering up with Jason too much.” Dick commented. 

“Don’t be a dick, Dick.” 

“Haha yeah that’s a new one.” He rolled his eyes. 

“Boys.” Bruce scolded his hands slick with his 2nd youngest blood and a scowl on his face. He was never able to joke about any of his kids getting injured no matter how small it might be. He knew in his head that Tim would be fine. Alfred had administered the antidote and the wound was stitched easily. All and all not the worst but it would keep Tim bed ridden for a few days maybe more if Bruce could get the teen to stay in bed. It was always a challenge with his third boy. 

“At least this means I get to miss the Gala.” Tim grinned faintly as Bruce tucked the blankets around him. “I’m never good at those things anyway.” 

“There are better ways to get out of Gala’s than getting shot.”

“Noted.” Tim replied already slipping into sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait for this chapter. I’ve been so busy with two jobs. The only good thing about Quarantine is now I’ve got time to write. LOL I’ve also got a bunch of new ideas for other stories. I am going to try and finish this one though. :D
> 
> But anyway thank you if you’re still sticking with me despite the wait.

But anyway thank you if you’re still sticking with me despite the wait. 

Tim was quarantined in the bat cave. Alfred didn’t want to chance moving him for at least a few more days. 

“You are to rest Master Timothy.” Alfred’s tone promised great pain if the boy was to even attempt to work. 

Damian was taking Tim’s stay in the cave the hardest. Dick was surprised by how aware the baby was of Tim’s absence. It didn’t matter if the rest of the bats were in the room Dami would just sit and observe each person before asking for ‘Duck’. 

“Maybe we could take him down to the cave to visit Tim.” 

“No.” Bruce shook his head. “I’d rather keep Damian away from the bat cave as much as possible. Besides Tim needs to rest not deal with a baby.” 

Dick sighed. “Oh come on Bruce. Tim is bored out of his mind. He’d probably welcome a visit from Dami.” 

“How about instead of arguing you get yourself ready for tonight.” 

Dick rolled his eyes. “Come on Dami let’s get you in you’re cute little baby tux.” He moved through the halls holding Damian as if he was an airplane and swooping him through the air. The baby giggled happily. 

Bruce had to resist the urge to scold Dick. He knew his oldest would never drop his youngest but watching was bad for his heart. He straightened his bow tie and sighed. Tonight was going to be a long one. After Tim’s injury Bruce had nearly called Damian’s showing off but they’d already spoken with PR and it would seem odd to cancel. 

“Relax Bruce. Between me, you, and Alf we’ve got baby Dami covered.” Bruce reassured him as the man fixed Dick’s bowtie as he had since Dick had been 8 years old. It didn’t matter if his tie was already straight or not, sometimes Dick wondered if it was something Bruce’s father had done for him, but he’d never gotten up the courage to ask. 

He adjusted Damian on his hip. The baby looked utterly adorable in his tiny little tux. The bowtie was printed on the shirt he was wearing and Alfred had gotten him into a pair of baby slacks and shiny dress shoes. 

Damian looked completely uncomfortable as he pulled out his pants frowning and squirming. 

“It’s only for a little bit Dames. B says you only have to hang out for an hour or two.” Dick reassured the boy who just ignored him. Bruce scooped Damian out of Dicks arms and nodded toward the stairs and to the party that was currently proceeding in the ballroom. 

Dick marveled at Bruce’s complete transformation as soon as he was within public eye. Gone was the moody dad he was used to and in his pace was ditzy carefree billionaire playboy. Jason used to hate this, he used to call it eerie. Dick couldn’t help but agree. 

He watched, smiling cheerfully at the ladies but keeping a constant eye on Damian. Not that he didn’t trust B but he knew how uncomfortable Dami usually was surrounded by so many people. 

Bruce felt his smile twitch a few times as he had to keep some more bold young woman from reaching out and touching Damian. He was never more aware of germs than in this situation and why did everyone who approached him think it was appropriate to try and rach out for Damian like they were family or had the right to hold him. 

This was a mess. Why did he agree to it? 

“Good Evening Bruce.” He felt a sense of ease settle over him. And turned to smile at Selena. 

“I’m glad you made it.” 

“And miss out seeing this precious little scene, never.” She waved her fingers at Damian who looked like he might bite them. “Just as feisty even as a baby. Although I hate to admit he’s pretty cute.”

Bruce shook his head at her but agreed “He is.”

“How long will he be in that state?” 

“I’m not sure, until commissioner Gordon let’s me know.” He said alerting Selena to the approaching man. Selena shot him a wink. 

“I’ll let you two talk.” She slipped away into the crowd. 

Gordon for his part looked sheepish. “I’m sorry Bruce. There’s been no sign of him waking up. Trust me I’ve got a lot of police families breathing down my neck about it too. No one wants their husbands to stay pigs.” 

“No worries. I just try to let these things be. I’m sure you’ll think of something.” he added lightly.

Thus the evening commenced. Until Damian started to get fussy and Bruce knew it was time to put him to bed. Dick volunteered eagerly and Bruce tried not to laugh when he saw quite a few ladies trailing after his eldest. 

“Do I have to come back. Maybe I should stay with Damian.” 

“And disappoint all your admirers. I think not.”

“You are a cruel man.” Dick huffed but his lips were twitching and he bundled the little boy into his arms and whisked him out the door. 

“Ugh I bet it feels good to get out of that stuffy old place doesn’t it?” He spoke to damian. The boy whined reaching for his feet as he had been doing all evening trying to pry off the shoes and socks he so despised. “In a second.” Dick reassured him. 

He laid him down and released Damian from his shoes, the baby immediately brought his feet up and grabbed his toes with his little fingers. Dick laughed. “Ok I get it you like your toes, now let me get your pants off, please?” he begged trying to straighten his legs out. 

He wiggled around throughout the whole changing ordeal but he finally got his brother into a cozy little onesie for bed. He rocked the boy softly in his arms humming to him until he drifted off. Dick laid him down in the crip and pulled a blanket over him, running his fingers through the messy black hair. 

“Night little man.” 

Going back down to the party was difficult, it was the last place he wanted to be. Part of him wished he could be more like Jason in these situations. His brother would have no qualms about ditching out.He’d probably relish in it. 

Dick just put on a smile and walked back into the party. 

…

Bruce continued making his rounds flirting and laughing. He and Selena had shared a dance as they always did at these things. Dick rolled his eyes at them. He wondered if the two would ever just get past this weird flirty thing and get together. 

He stopped to say hello to commissioner Gordon. “How’s Babs?” 

“Doing well, she comes home to check on me too often.” He joked. 

“That’s good, I’ve been meaning to call her up, say hi.” He smiled. 

“I’m sure she’d enjoy that.” Gordon’s phone sounded from his pocket he took it looking at the caller ID. The police detective clapped a hand on Dicks shoulder. “I better get this, take care Richard.” 

“Will do.” Dick nodded. 

…

Tim was so bored. Sure he’d rather be down here than up in the manor surrounded by people who only cared about Bruce’s money. High Society. He hated it. 

He moved off the bed carefully glancing around knowing Alfred would kill him if he saw him out of bed. His winced as the movement made his wound ache and each breath only increased the pain. He moved slowly across the cave until he could slump into the chair at the batcomputer. He couldn’t believe how weak he felt just from that short walk. 

Getting shot was no picnic.

He unlocked the computer and started going through the police satellites looking for anything of interest anything at all. He hadn’t expected to find much, maybe a robbery or a gang but there was a buzz. Tim grinned to himself stretching his fingers and getting to work hacking into the communication devices. He wanted to know what was going down. 

“...almin…” Tim grimaced the reception was way off. He could hear a few words between static and his fingers continued flying over the keys trying to clear out the interference. “Kalmin…” His eyelids felt heavy and he almost missed the name. It made him pause. 

Had he escaped? He kept typing, holding half a headphone up to his ear listening intently.

“Kalmin is dead.” Tim choked. 

“How?” That was Gordon. And now it made sense no wonder there had been a ton of interference the call was being made into Wayne Manor. Bruce’s paranoia at work. Tim would fix it later, he needed to hear this first. “What happened?”

“We’re not sure. We’ve had our guys stationed there around the clock, there not even sure how anyone could have gotten in.” The poor officer seemed so rattled. “He was stabbed through the heart sir. No fingerprints nothing in the room other than kalmin was even disturbed--” 

Tim dropped the headphones onto the desk, the pain from his wound didn’t seem to bother him as much, he was too worried. 

Damian. He had to get to Damian or tell Bruce. Damn it all to hell he should have known they couldn’t keep this quiet. He headed for the exit stumbling a little on the stairs. He opened the clock carefully and instantly knew that his assumption was right. 

Tim could hear people screaming from the floor below. He shut the secret passage behind him and headed through the door on a path toward the lower levels when he heard a baby crying. Damian’s nursery. Shit! Tim veered off course. 

He threw open the door and took out the man holding his baby brother. He grabbed his little brother and clutched him to his chest kicking away the unconscious league member. He needed to get Damian to the cave. He’d be safe down there.

“Timothy Drake.” 

“Talia.” Tim slowly turned around keeping Damian close.

“Give him to me, he’s my son.” 

“Didn’t you tell him last time you saw him that he was disowned?.” 

“That was a family spat nothing more. Now hand over my son.” 

“I don’t think so.” Tim edged back until his back hit the wall behind him. He glanced toward the door but it was a long shot and his legs were already trembling. He could feel blood seeping through the broken stitches on his old wound. 

“He’s better off with me.” 

“You killed Kalmin so we wouldn’t be able to change him back.” 

“I can make him better. I did things wrong last time, I introduced him to his father to soon, he wasn’t ready.” 

“You mean so you can keep controlling him.” Tim shot back glaring. 

“He’s my son!” 

“No he’s not. He’s Bruce’s!” Tim shouted back. Damian whimpered into his collar bone. “You’ll have to pry his body from my cold dead hands Talia.” 

“That can easily be arranged.” She unsheathed her sword and Tim took a stance keeping damian in one arm and preparing to fight. 

They were interrupted by the distinctive click of a gun cocking. Talia’s eyes flicked in the direction of the door. “Jason.” Her voice was silky. 

BANG!

Talia was hit in the arm. She hissed but to her credit didn’t drop the sword in her hand. She did jump back however guarding herself on two fronts.

“Why do you even want him?” She glared. 

“I don’t, not necessarily, but I’m so done being manipulated by you.” 

“You didn’t seem to mind, in fact if I remember correctly you enjoyed it quite a lot.” 

“Ew, ok gross.” Tim grimaced. 

“Hanging in there replacement?” 

“I’ve been better.” 

Jason looked back to Talia and smirked leveling his gun so it was aimed at her knee. She glared. “You can’t keep me from him forever.” She warned. Jason shot again but she was ready this time easily avoiding it before vanishing through the window. Jason made sure she was gone before heading over to Tim. 

“The guests downstairs?” 

“Commissioners got it, besides with Talia gone her little recruits will follow.” Jason shrugged holding out a hand to steady Tim. It wasn’t much longer before they heard footsteps running towards them. Dick and Bruce both barged through the door looking desperate. 

Dick paused looking between the two of them. “What?” His eyes caught on Damian who was still squirming against Tim’s chest. He clutched his chest and sighed. “We thought Talia had taken Dami.” 

“She tried to.” Jason said as he holstered his weapon. “She’ll probably try again.” 

Bruce helped Tim to a chair and took Damian. Looking the baby over as well.

“She’s going to try again B. She made that pretty clear.” Tim informed him as Dick checked Tim’s injuries. “Kalmin is dead. We won’t be able to turn Damian back.”

Dick sucked in a breath. “What? No-” 

“He’s telling the truth. I was patrolling when I heard the sirens. After I heard how he was killed I knew who was behind it. I headed here. Good thing Timmy doesn’t know how to rest.” Said teenager flushed. 

“I’m going to talk to Zatanna again.” Bruce spoke up. 

“But she said.” 

“I know what she said.” Bruce snapped. “I’ll let her know the circumstances have changed. We can no longer rely on Kalmin.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please Review and let me know what you guys all think!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another quick chapter. The next few ages are going to be pretty fluffy. Mostly Damian getting into trouble. It might get a little angsty at age four and beyond that. But for now Enjoy the Batfamily fluff. I'm not super great at writing Bruce yet sometimes I feel like he's OOC but I'm doing my best. Hopefully he's not too terrible. 
> 
> In other new, other than being terribly bored during quarantine I'm fine, not sick, super healthy. I hope all of you guys are the same. Thank you for all you're reviews and enjoy!!

“I can’t age him up all at once. It would be dangerous--”

“Zatanna-” Bruce interrupted but Zatanna gave him that look.

“But.” She sighed. “This still isn’t ideal and I’m not sure what kind of consequences that this will have.” She looked at the baby reluctantly. “ I can age him up slowly age by age.”

Bruce let out a sigh of relief. “How long will that take.”

“He’ll have to stay at each age for at least a week.” Bruce tried to interrupt but Zatanna held up her hand. “That is the only way I’ll do this Bruce. We have to give him time to adjust and make sure no negative effects of aging occur before moving up to the next age.” 

“Thank you Zatanna,” Dick says, shooting Bruce a scolding look. “That’s all we can ask for.” 

Zatanna nodded. “Alright then, I’ll age him up to 18 months old and be back this time next week to see how he’s doing. If anything strange occurs call me right away.” 

She moved closer to Damian who cowered remembering her from before and she cringed trying to smile softly. She hated that he was frightened of her. Zatanna looked at Bruce. “This will not be a comfortable feeling for him.” She warned. 

“Ega pu eno raey!” She spoke in a normal voice but her voice seemed to fill the cave like an echo. Damian glowed and started to cry. The change was immediate and Damian was older and curled in a ball sobbing. Dick moved forward immediately pulling the little two year old into his arms and rocking him gently while Bruce spoke quietly with Zatanna before showing her out. 

“Shh. it’s ok Dami. I’m right here, I’m sorry.” He whispered softly into the boys ear hoping it would help soothe him. He could feel his little fingers gripping his shirt tightly and rubbed a finger over his knuckles. 

Bruce observed the two of them until Damian had fallen asleep in Dick’s arms and only then did he extract the child and start up the steps to take him to bed. He took his time laying his baby down and tucking him in a small smile on his lips when he noticed a new habit. Damian had his knuckles of his right hand in his mouth and was drooling all over them in his sleep. It was cute, something truly childish. 

He took a moment to just take in his son. So this is what he would have looked like at 1 1/2 years old. His legs and arms were still chubby and his face was round and soft. His black hair curled over his forehead. He took a picture, something to capture this new age. 

What Bruce needed to do now was look up as many things as he could about two year olds. Maybe he’d be a little more prepared than he was when this whole thing had started. 

What a foolish idea. 

…

Damian woke up the next morning unaware of the pain he’d gone through the evening before. He pulled himself up and gripped the bar of her crib. 

“BABA!” He cried out. He was awake and wanted his baba to be awake too. 

Bruce was up almost instantly. Alfred would be jealous of how easy it was for little Damian to get him out of bed without a fight. There was just something about hearing his son scream for him that made it impossible for him to sleep through.

He yawned as he shuffled into Damian’s nursery. “Baba!” He was smiling at Bruce as soon as he was within sight. Bruce couldn’t help but smile back picking up Damian. He didn’t think that the age change would be this drastic. 

He set Damian down and as soon as his feet hit the ground and he was off trying to run right out the room. Bruce barely caught him. “Hey there, hold on a sec we have to get dressed.” 

“Ok.” He said and changed direction toddling off toward the dresser. Bruce felt a bit proud to see him walking so well just yesterday he had absolutely refused to do anything but crawl. He struggled a little with the dresser drawers before he gave up and ran back to Bruce pulling on his shirt and pointing to it. “Baba help.” He demanded. 

“Please.” Bruce told him and then had to stop him from laughing when Damian looked utterly confused. “You should say please Damian.” 

“Pease?” 

“That’s how you ask for things nicely.” 

Damian regarded him for a moment before pulling at him again and pointing. “Hurry.” Bruce sighed, they’d work on please. 

“Alright alright.” He pulled open the dresser and realized none of these would fit Damian now. “Well maybe we will wait on dressing.” 

“Or you could say please master Bruce.” Alfred spoke from the doorway looking amused. He had been watching for a while then. He had a few bags in his hands. “I took it upon myself to get a few things for his older age.” 

“You are a life save Alfred.”

“I try.” 

“Thank you.” 

Damian looked between the two. “Tank you!” He cried out at Alfred, moving to Bruce and trying to pull on him more. 

Alfred helped Bruce get Damian into clothes. He looked a but put out when his son actually picked out a Superman shirt from the bag. “I thought you were on my side?” His son just giggled.

Getting down the stairs was another struggle. He’d reached down and scooped the boy into his arms to head down but Damian had almost immediately started screaming and struggling until his father set him down. Then he headed for the stairs wanting to walk down them alone. 

“Don’t you want me to help you?”

“NO!” 

“Please.” Bringing back the word gave Damian pause and Bruce held out his hand to Damian. He looked weary but finally let his baba help him down the steps taking each step slowly until they reached the bottom. “Good job.” He ruffled the boys hair. Damian looked very proud and pointed toward the stairs.

“Again?” 

“Let’s go eat breakfast first.” 

“Bekfast?” 

“Aren’t you hungry?” Damian had to think about that for a minute before nodding and walked into the dining room. Jason, Dick, and Tim were all there and they turned to look at them. Bruce was surprised to see Jason. It was a nice surprise and he wasn’t about to say anything in case he decided to leave. 

Dick smiled brightly. “Look at you walking!” He opened up his arms and Damain ran to him and his eldest scooped him up and hugged him to his chest. “You’re so big now.” 

Tim just drank some more coffee. Bruce looked him over and was pleased to note that he looked on the road to a full recovery. Dick struggled to get Damian into his high chair. He whined and shouted the whole time. 

Tim grimaced “Is this yelling thing going to stay the entire week?” 

“Babies yell Timmers.” 

“Ugh. Maybe I’ll just spend the week at Titans tower.” 

“Nu!” Damian looked at Tim almost sadly. “Nu Nu Nu Nu!” 

“Aww, he doesn’t want you to leave.” 

“He wants to torture me.” Tim groaned. 

“Dramatic.” Dick rolled his eyes. 

Jason snorted. “Dang being called dramatic by Dick ‘Dramatic’ Grayson is harsh.” 

“I’m not that bad.” 

“Yes you are.” Jason, Tim, and even Bruce all said at once making the eldest boy stick his tongue out at them. 

Damian was pleased all through breakfast grabbing food and shoving it into his mouth. Handing chucks of his food to Dick or Bruce with grubby slobbery fingers and watching them intently waiting for them to eat the offered food and screaming if they just said thank you and set it to the side. 

Dick was the best at fake eating the gross offerings. Bruce needed practice. 

Jason said his goodbyes heading out the window. 

“I sometimes wonder if he knows that the manor has doors.” Alfred said, shaking his head fondly. 

…

“Come on Bruce nothing bad ever happens at the Aquarium.” 

“Dick” Bruce sighed. 

“I’ll even bring Aqualad if it’ll make you feel better. But you can’t just keep Damian holed up inside. He’s bored and I want to take him to all the fun places!” 

“Talia and Ra’s are still out there.” 

“I can handle her. In fact I’d love it if she showed up so I could let her know exactly how I feel about her ‘mothering’ if you can even call it that.” Bruce did not look impressed. “I’ll drag Jason along too.” He tried out his best puppy dog look. 

“If you can get Jason to agree, then you can go.” 

“Challenge accepted!” Dick scooped up Damian. “We’re gonna go to the Aquarium Damian, isn’t that exciting!” 

“Yes” The little boy clapped his hands even though it was obvious he had no idea what his brother was talking about.   
…

“Please!”

“I don’t want to spend the day with you and baby brat at the aquarium. Take replacement.” 

“Bruce said it had to be you. Besides Tim’s away at Kons for the weekend and next week Damian will be two!” 

“So just wait til he’s 2.” 

“No. I want to do one fun thing with Damian every week. So it won’t work if I wait.” 

“Careful you're inner dad is showing.” 

Dick was silent over the phone for a moment. “I just want him to have fun while he can, he actually gets to be a kid right now.”

“Why don’t you just bring Bruce?” Jason tried knowing that he was close to cracking. 

“Right.” Was his only reply to that question. 

“Dumb question.” Jason sighed. “Only the Aquarium?” 

“I owe you Jason! Thank you!” 

“Wait I haven’t even said--” Dick hung up with a click. “...Yes yet.” He completed his sentence feeling like he’d just gotten tricked. 

He fell back onto his couch and huffed when Dog jumped up on him and laid down with him. “God Dog you are way too big for these kind of cuddles.” The dog whined at him softly and Jason sighed. “I guess I’m just going to be a pushover this week. What the hell.” 

…

“This is so exciting isn’t it Damian!” Dick looked down at the little boy who looked adorable in his nightwing shirt, shorts completed with a black batman backpack and a Red Hood Good 2 Grow fruit punch bottle. It was the cutest thing. 

Jason looked at the juice and frowned. “I am a joke to people in Gotham.” 

“Oh come on you love your action figure.” 

“Action figures are cool, this is just demeaning.” 

Dick shook his head and bought the aquarium tickets. 

“Your son is so cute.” The lady smiled at Damian who scowled back at her. The kid didn’t smile at anyone outside the family. Dick looked awkward and Jason rolled his eyes pushing Dick along. 

“Yeah we’re not doing this dumb emotional shit, let’s get to the fishes.” He said the lady looked confused but was easily distracted by the next family in line. 

Jason had to admit it had been ages since he’d been to an aquarium. Dick kneeled down pointing out all the types of fish and trying to get Damian to say the right names. The little boy was doing pretty good, which wasn’t shocking after all a ten year old Damian talked like a 30 year old.

The morning passed by quickly. Bruce had called almost every hour to check on them. 

“Jesus if the old man was going to call this much he should have just come with you.” Jason ranted. 

“Bruce is difficult.” Dick sighed. “I don’t think he knows how to do kid stuff like this anymore.” 

“Well he needs to get over his own shit.” 

“Rich coming from you.” Dick shot at him. 

“I can leave.” 

“Damian will cry. Right Dami, you don’t want Jaybird to leave do you?” He looked down beside him but the boy was gone from his side. “Jay where did he go!” Dick looked around panic seizing his heart. 

“He was just next to you.” 

“Damn it I let go of his hand for a second to answer the phone.” Dick shook his head. “I should have put a leash on him, I knew he was in that running phase.” 

“Why are we always the ones that lose him!” 

“Just find him. You go one way, I'll go the other.” Dick was already sprinting away looking around frantically for Damian. He couldn’t believe he’d lost his brother… again! Bruce was never going to let him take Damian out again.  
All the worst case scenarios were running through his mind. What if it was Talia or Ra’s? What if it was one of the Rogue’s? What if it was anyone in Gotham, why the hell did they even live in Gotham this city was awful and it had so much crime.

“Baba!” Dick spun around and saw Damian sitting in front of the shark display bathed in blue light looking at him with a smile on his face as though he hadn’t just nearly sent Dick into cardiac arrest. 

He hit his knees in front of Damian and pulled him into a hug. His little brother squirmed in his arms but Dick just held on tighter. “You can’t do that Damian.” He leaned back so that he could look the boy in the face and scold him. “You can’t run away from me like that!” 

Damian looked shocked at Dick’s anger and seemed to shrink into himself. Dick had to take a deep steadying breath. “I’m sorry. Don’t be scared, but Dami you have to stay right by my side, I was worried.” 

“Scared.” 

“That’s right, I was so scared that I couldn’t find you.”

The little boy reached out a hand and put it on Dick’s shoulder. “Sowwy.” 

“Don’t do it again. Ok? You have to promise.”

“I Pomise.” He said solemnly. 

“Thank you. Now let’s call you’re big brother.” Jason picked up right away. “I got him” He heard a sigh of relief and smiled. “Were you worried?” 

“Hell no. I just didn’t want Alfred to be upset.” 

“Sure.” 

“Shut up Dickwad. Where are you?”

“In front of the sharks.” 

“He would be, little brat.” Jason hung up and Dick rested his head on Damian’s shoulder arms wrapped around the little boy and they both watched the sharks swim lazily in and out of view until Jason showed up and fell to the ground beside them. 

“Sowwy.” Damian repeated to Jason. Dick hid his snickers at Jason’s face as the older boy tried to come up with something to say before just looking away. He pressed a kiss into Damian’s hair. 

“Let’s go get some lunch.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment. I love reading them and I really enjoy hearing what you guys think. You're comments keep me inspired. :D


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With all this free time I've been able to update so quickly. Three chapters in a week and a half is super awesome. I hope you are liking them!!
> 
> But guys I need some help from you! I have Damian's age 3 week worked out as well as age four but I've got no idea what do for the next chapter with age 2!! I've been thinking a lot about what should happen next but I'm at a loss. 
> 
> If I don't get any ideas from y'all I'll probably just skip to age 3 but seriously comment and let me know if there's something you want to see for age 2!!

“Yes this is perfect blackmail material!” 

“Jay we’re not taking these pictures for blackmail it’s cause he’s cute.”

“Dick no one believes that.” Tim said dryly snapping another picture. Damian was down for his nap but the way he slept had the boy laughing and awwing respectively. 

The little boy was in his belly, his head turned to the side, his knees were tucked under him and his little diapered butt was up in the air. 

“These pictures are for the scrap books!” Dick argued.

“Wow and you think my idea is mean, at least I wouldn’t show these to anyone unless the run annoys me in the future, you want to display them.” 

“He doesn’t have any baby photos.” Dick said sadly. “I have an entire album of photos that my mom took, but Damian has nothing.” 

Jason Shrugged “Not all of us had cookie cutter lives before Bruce. Dick you’re the minority.” Dick winced, god he could be an idiot sometimes. Tim didn’t say anything but he looked like he agreed with Jason and he wouldn’t meet anyone’s eyes. 

Dick lifted his camera and pointed it at them. “Say cheese!” 

“Oh hell no!”

“What?” 

The picture Dick snapped was of Jason running towards the door and Tim’s shocked face. “This will be the first entry in both you're books.” 

Tim laughed and hugged Dick. “Thanks.”   
“I don’t want one. Fuck these memories.” 

“You love us!” Dick called after him. Damian interrupted them and started to cry. Alfred was unimpressed. 

“If you’re going to yell, perhaps not do it in the same room as a napping child.” He suggested. 

“Sorry Alf, I kind of forgot.” Dick said sheepishly. 

…

Bruce jerked awake by a shout of surprise followed by loud thunk and then loud screaming. He scrambled to his feet and realized that the crying was coming from his room, not the nursery. He had never moved quicker. 

Damian was on the ground by his bed large tears falling down his face as he wailed in pain. Bruce grabbed him pulling him close and running down the stairs toward the kitchen where he knew Alfred likely was. 

The butler was completely startled when Bruce came running in wild eyes with a sobbing baby. “You need to call Leslie!” 

“Master Bruce calm down.” 

“Damian hit his head. He fell off my bed Alfred.” Alfred gave him a look as he took Damian from him. “I didn’t even know he was there, I was still sleeping I don’t know how--” 

Alfred cut him off with a hand held up. “Master Bruce calm yourself.” He said softly. “Damian is OK. He’s not bleeding and he seems to be responding well.”

“But he fell.” Bruce looked horrified.

“It happens. Babies fall quite a bit. It’s rather normal.”He reassured Bruce still looking over Damian and rocking him softly. “He’ll have a bump but other than that he’s going to be ok, just a little hurt.” 

Bruce looked so relieved and had to sit down for a moment. He felt stupid for over reacting. “How did he even get into my room?” 

“He’s gotten bigger, he probably climbed out of his crib and tried to get to you.” Alfred supplied. Damian reached for Bruce whining and Alfred handed him over hiding a smile at how wrecked the man looked. 

“Climbed…” He looked at his baby and let his forehead touch Damian's. 

“We’ll have to change his crib to a toddler bed. It’ll be safer that way.” Alfred said, already making plans. 

The incident was only the beginning. Damian got over his bump to the head quickly and seemingly had no fear as he continued to try and climb everything in sight. 

Alfred was very amused at Bruce and the boys they all hovered around Damian after he had tried to climb chairs twice when they looked away. He looked angry every single time one of them grabbed him mid climb and he’d hit and bite at them. 

Bruce and Damian were currently at a standstill. Bruce was giving his son that warning look as Damian slowly scooted closer to the coffee table glaring right back. The little boy reached for the table. 

“Damian.” Bruce said scoldingly. 

Damian pulled his hand back for a minute before reaching out again.

“Don’t you do it.” 

The baby scowled and continued. Bruce scooped him up. “No Damian.” 

“NO BABA!” Damian yelled back. Bruce set him down again away from the table. 

“Damian that’s enough.” He told the boy. “Stop.” He had to stop himself from smiling when the baby looked so affronted at being told stop. No he was supposed to be firm. Damian changed course walking up to Bruce and attempting to climb his father. 

Bruce sighed. 

…

“No no no no no no no.” Damian repeated over and over again when Tim tried to let Kon inside the house. He attempted to push the kryptonian boy out. 

“Damian, that’s not very nice.” Tim tried looking at Kon sheepishly. “This is Kon, he’s my friend.” 

The little boy clung onto Tim and glared daggers at Kon. 

“Maybe I should go.” Kon offered. 

“Don’t be dumb, Damian will get over it.” Tim dragged the other teen inside and shut the door. “Besides I already told Alf and Bruce that you were coming over for dinner.” 

Damian looked at Kon suspiciously still clinging to Tim’s leg. 

“Hey Conner!” Dick called out peeking around the corner and waving. The teen waved back. 

“No.” Damian called out. “Go way!”

“Go ahead, I’ll be right there.” Tim shooed Conner toward Dick and kneeled down unsticking Damian from his person. “Why do you want him to go away?” Tim asked “What’s wrong with Conner.” 

“I don like him! You were gone cause ofs him.” Dami pouted. 

“I was only gone for a few days, and it wasn’t cause- because- of Conner.” Tim explained, surprised by Damian’s clinginess. “I didn’t think you’d miss me.” 

“I did!” 

“Well… umm… thanks?” 

“Did you miss me?” 

“Uh, yes?” Tim answered uncertainty. He hadn’t really thought much about baby Damian. It was still pretty weird to him and it was nice to get a few days away from all the crying. The little boy was pretty smart and Tim forgot how in-tune to emotion children tended to be, so it came as a surprise when the boy pulled away and started to sniffle. 

“You didn miss me!” 

“No, hey, yes I totally did. I definitely missed you.” 

“Nuh uh,” Damian shook his head and his sniffing turned into soft crying and he ran, Tim tried to grab him but he wasn’t quick enough. The little boy ran right into Kon and fell down on his but and his silent tears turned into loud wails. He stood up and kicked Kon. “I hate you!” 

Dick looked shocked. 

“Damian!” Bruce stood up. “That was uncalled for.” he scolded. Which just made Damian cry harder and he ran from the room. Bruce looked shocked by the overreaction from his youngest. Normally when he was scolded Damian would apologize or just sit on the floor and cry not run. 

“I’m so sorry Kon.” Dick apologized, moving to go after the little boy. 

“It’s not like it hurt.” Conner shrugged. 

“Wait Dick, I got this, it was my fault.” Tim was already moving past the others toward the direction the little brat had ran in. 

“You’re fault?” Bruce asked. 

“I said the wrong thing. I’m not used to an emotional Damian normally he’s so… not emotional.” He rubbed a hand through his hair. 

“He’s a baby Tim. He’s 1 ½ years old.” 

“I get that. I just… I thought he’d still hate me, or I don’t know just wasn’t expecting this. I’ll fix it ok.” 

Tim moved down the hall until he heard sniffling. Damian was curled up in the theater room a stuffed animal clutched to his chest. He glared at Tim when he saw him. “Go way.” 

“I don’t wanna.” Tim retaliated sitting down next to Damian. “I’m sorry.” He apologized and the little boy looked up at him with round eyes. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. I was really happy to see you when I got here.” 

The little boy crawled onto him, his nails digging into skin painfully and his knees and elbows making Tim wince a little but he bundled the child up into his arms. Tim rocked him softly. “When I was really little I used to pray for a little brother. I wanted one so badly because then we could play together and I could teach him all the things I knew and I would be the best big brother in the entire world.” Tim spoke knowing Damian probably wouldn’t understand very much of this but he wanted to say it anyway. 

“And then Bruce came along and I got a family with my own big brother and it was nice, I wasn’t alone anymore and I forgot all about wanting a little brother and then you came along. I admit I didn’t really know what to expect but you definitely weren’t it. You don’t remember this right now, but you hated me, despised me. And I thought you were a little monster. 

And it felt like you were taking everything from me. You were Bruce’s real son. You took Robin. And Dick absolutely loved you. And I just wanted you gone. But I was wrong, you’re not some evil being sent to make me miserable. You’re just a kid, just a little kid who gets sad when people leave and you don’t want to be alone just like I used to be before Bruce. 

And I’ve been remembering how much I wanted a little brother, and I had one all this time and maybe you weren’t what I imagined but I still love you. I know you’re never going to remember this and when you get older you’ll be a pain in my butt again. But I’ve learned that’s kind of how siblings work. I’m not always going to miss you and you’re not always going to miss me. But that doesn’t mean we don’t love each other.” He squeezed Damian tightly. 

Sure enough his brother looked pretty clueless as to what he just said but he was happy with the cuddles and the hugs and he smiled. Tim smiled back. 

“You’ve got to say you’re sorry to Kon.” Tim added. “He’s really nice, and he has my back.” 

Damian nodded and Tim stood up depositing the little boy back onto his feet. Damian grabbed his hand and they both walked back. Damian shuffled his feet in front of Conner. “I’m sowwy.” 

“Thank you. I have a little brother too, I get it.” he said with a smile. Dick cooed and scooped Dami up showering him with kisses. 

…

“Jason not coming to dinner?” Bruce asked almost casually except Dick could tell he was disappointed. 

“It’s not like anything has changed for him that much.” 

“He’s been around a lot more recently.” Bruce commented “It’s been nice.” 

“Not everything’s going to fix itself just because Damian’s a baby. That’s not how it works. Jason likes kids and he has been helping me and Tim with some cases but B, he’s still… Jason.” Dick said taking a bite of green beans before shoveling some into Damian’s mouth as well. “And it’s not like you’ve exactly made an effort to do anything different.” 

“I don’t even know what I’m supposed to do with him.” 

“You could try having an actual conversation with him where you don’t sound like you regret him.” 

“But I do regret what happened.” 

“Yes but you can’t change the past. There’s no wizard here to turn Jason back into a 12 year old.” Dick grumbled “Maybe we shouldn’t talk about this.” 

“I’m trying here Dick.”

“Are you? Because it feels like you’re making a lot of excuses. Jason is who he is and he’s been really good, he hasn’t killed anyone recently and he’s been a good big brother to Tim-”

“He still calls Tim replacement.” 

“Well, yeah, but it’s like Tim still calls Damian ‘demon’. It’s a brother thing, good natured ribbing.” Dick shrugged “Right timbo?” 

Tim had his head against the table and was snoring his fork dangling from his fist a piece of chicken hanging from a spoke. 

Bruce smiled. He stood up waving off Dick who looked ready to get up. “I got him.” He hoisted Tim into his arms. He weighed less than he should, Bruce would have to start watching his eating habits again. But the teen didn’t even stir when he was moved. He could sleep through almost anything. Bruce paused halfway through the door. “I’ll try with Jason.” 

Dick smiled at Damian. “You’re daddy is finally getting it. I think this whole baby thing has been really beneficial.” 

Damian just continued to chew not understanding any of what had just happened. Dick chuckled. 

“Just think tomorrow you’ll be 2! You’re growing up, it makes me a little sad. I want more time with you, I feel like time has just been slipping by so fast. What do I do Dami?”

“Baba.” Damian clapped his hands and held up his hands out “Ups!” He demanded. Dick grinned and scooped the boy into his arms. 

“Good idea.”   
…

Zatanna showed up the next evening to transition Damian into a two year old. Dick cried with Damian that night. It was hard knowing each time they did this it would cause his baby pain. 

And nothing in the world could soothe Damian afterwards. He would just sob and sob until he finally cried himself to sleep in his brother’s arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also no worries about Jason he will be back at age 3 so probably won't be using him for age 2. 
> 
> Remember comment and let me know what you'd like to happen during age 2!!!

**Author's Note:**

> Please Review <3


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